A Shadow Over Crystal Tokyo
by Bill K
Summary: The much requested sequel to "Pink Rebellion"; Hotaru may have brought something with her from the twentieth century - - something or someone.
1. Future Shock

A SHADOW OVER CRYSTAL TOKYO,  
Chapter 1: "Future Shock"  
A Sailor Moon fanfic  
  
By Bill K.  
  
-------------------------------------------------  
Sailor Moon and all related characters are (c)2002 by Naoko Takeuchi/  
Kodansha and Toei Animation and are used without permission, but with   
respect. "Rashiku Ikimasho", lyrics by Naoko Takeuchi, music by Masao   
Mizuno, is (c) 1995 by Nippon Columbia Co., LTD, and is used without   
permission, but with respect. Story is (c)2002 by Bill Kropfhauser.  
  
As always, for those only familiar with the English dub:  
  
Usagi=Serena  
Ami=Amy  
Rei=Raye  
Lita=Makoto  
Mina=Minako  
Haruka=Amara  
Michiru=Michelle  
Setsuna=Trista  
Mamoru=Darien  
Chibi-Usa or Usa=Rini  
  
Finally, Haruka and Michiru are NOT cousins.  
--------------------------------------------------  
"You know, for everything we went through, there was one good   
thing about being in the Dead Moon Circus," groused Ves-Ves, her eyelids   
barely open as she shuffled down the hall in the palace of Crystal   
Tokyo. "No school."  
  
Ves-Ves wore a form-fitting crimson jumpsuit with black pockets on   
the arms, the chest and the thighs, a black belt and black boots. It   
was the latest in thirtieth century paramilitary chic. It always got a   
disapproving look from the Queen, or Ami-sama or Makoto-sama - - which   
was part of the appeal for her.  
  
"Amen," sighed Cere-Cere. She was dressed in a retro-twenty-first   
century yellow sun-dress made of soil resistant poly-spandex fiber that   
clung close on her upper torso but flared out in the mid-thigh skirt.   
Only her superior balance as a former circus acrobat allowed her to walk   
in four-inch yellow pumps.  
  
"You two are disgusting," frowned Jun-Jun, favoring a lime green   
tube top and white harem pants with a green belt and matching ballet   
slippers. "The only way to make something of yourself in this   
technocratic world of ours is to learn as much as possible."  
  
"Spoken like a true teacher's pet," grumbled Ves-Ves. "And why   
does it have to be so early in the morning?"  
  
"It teaches you discipline," Jun-Jun replied. "And you wouldn't   
be sleepy if you didn't stay up until one a.m."  
  
"Palla-Palla's not sleepy at all," Palla-Palla said. She was   
dressed in a twentieth century public school uniform, a blue and white   
sailor tunic with a red bow and a blue skirt, and black patent leather   
shoes.  
  
"That's because you went to bed at eight," scowled Ves-Ves.  
  
"Well?" questioned Palla-Palla. "Barney was over."  
  
Bringing up the rear were the Princess Usagi, daughter of the   
king and queen, and her friend Hotaru. Hotaru was new to the   
thirtieth century and from the look on her face was not entirely happy   
with the situation. It was not lost on Usa, despite her own barely   
conscious state.  
  
"Come on, Hotaru," Usa offered. "It's not that bad." The girl   
had on faded denims and a pink cotton peasant blouse that bared her   
shoulders and her midriff. She wore it to make Hotaru more comfortable.  
  
"Usa, I was in first level junior high in the twentieth century,"   
Hotaru replied. Hotaru had on a black long-sleeve knit mock turtleneck   
blouse, black leggings and a black skirt with black low-heel shoes.   
"And I was doing well! I was in the top ten percent of the class!" Her   
face twisted into a grimace. "And now I'm in third level elementary   
school? All because of that stupid proficiency placement computer!"  
  
"Well," Usa said helplessly, "you do have a lot of catching up to   
do."  
  
"I know," Hotaru said, her frustration showing. "But it's - -   
just so humiliating."  
  
"You'll catch up. You're smart - - smarter than I am. You're   
probably smarter than Ves-Ves and Cere-Cere, too."  
  
"I heard that!" Ves-Ves called back.  
  
"You'll catch up to us in no time. You'll probably pass us by the   
end of the semester. Just don't put so much pressure on yourself."  
  
"OK," sighed Hotaru. "I wish Michiru-Mama was here. Whatever   
happened to her and Haruka-Papa?"  
  
"Don't know," shrugged Usa. "I've been here fifteen years and   
haven't seen them once. Mama says they got bored about six or seven   
hundred years ago and went off into space together. Nobody's seen them   
since."  
  
"Do you think they're dead?"  
  
"Mama doesn't think so. She's sure she'd know if they died. Like   
she knows with Puu."  
  
"Then Setsuna-Mama is dead?" Hotaru asked anxiously.  
  
"Well, Mama won't come right out and say it, but yeah I think she   
is. It was real hard being with her again when I went back in time and   
saved you. I kind of wish I'd taken her with us, too."  
  
The girls entered the classroom and took their seats. Save for   
the seats and desks before them that were little more than computer   
ports for their individual hand-held computers, the room was a stark   
white, barren of any other furnishings or equipment, save for several   
strategically placed sensor disks. Once the girls were all seated,   
though, the holographic virtual classroom sprang to life. The   
surroundings transformed into a comfortable learning center with every   
visual educational tool available. The computer system had an   
educational program complete with holographic representations of the   
four senshi, who rotated as virtual manifestations for the computer   
program. Today "Ami" was teaching.  
  
Each station could download and interact with each individual   
hand-held, formatting lessons to the individual student's desires, grade   
level and learning speed. Jun-Jun, for example, was currently at first   
level high school in all subjects except math and tended to favor the   
subjects of history, psychology and marine biology. Hotaru, on the   
other hand, wanted to go into subjects related to biology and medicine,   
but was currently hampered by her twentieth century education and was   
stuck for now in remedial elementary work. Palla-Palla had special   
educational needs. She proved unable to grasp any higher concepts   
initially and her progress was the slowest of the group - - save in   
math, where she demonstrated almost a savant level ability to work   
complex equations and was solving math problems at a college master's   
level. When the real Ami had first seen her scores, she'd run a   
computer diagnostic thinking there was a flaw in the testing program.  
  
Concerned about her friend, Usa glanced over during her lessons.   
She saw the frustration evident in her face as Hotaru pointed to answers   
on the holographic test displayed before her, only to be corrected again   
and again. To her credit, Hotaru doggedly stuck it out. But she was   
still having trouble.  
  
"Princess-sama," the virtual Ami said, standing next to Usa's   
station and leaning down. "Your concern for your companion is   
praiseworthy, but you really must concentrate on your lessons."  
  
"Sorry," mumbled Usa.  
  
"Hotaru-chan will succeed at her own capacity. You must have   
faith in her abilities."  
  
"I'd feel a lot better if that was really Ami-san saying that,"   
thought Usa.  
* * * *  
"How's Hotaru doing?" Serenity asked. She leaned over Endymion,   
her hands pressed to his shoulders, as he reviewed her test scores on a   
computer monitor.  
  
"Not well," Endymion replied. "Her scores are telling me that   
she's having trouble grasping the advanced concepts of this era."  
  
"Well that's not a sin," Serenity said. "A lot of people don't   
grasp anything above a functional literacy of this technological   
wonderland. The more complex concepts go over a lot of people's   
heads." Then her mouth screwed into a smirk. "And don't you dare   
bring up any specific examples, mister."  
  
"I wasn't," smiled Endymion. "I know better." He leaned back in   
his chair. "I am worried it'll begin to erode her self-esteem, though.   
Hotaru never struck me as someone with a great deal of self-esteem to   
begin with."  
  
"That worries me, too."  
  
"Has Usa said anything?"  
  
"Our daughter? She won't confide in us. After all, we're her   
parents, so we're the last people in the universe who'll understand."  
  
"Yes, how silly of me," smiled Endymion.  
  
"Maybe she needs a break," suggested Serenity. "If we could send   
her and Usa someplace simple and natural where she can just have fun   
and relax, get away from all the pressure she's putting on herself to   
fit in. But where?" Serenity thought. "Elysian, maybe?"  
  
"That trip's still three weeks away," Endymion commented.  
  
"OK," Serenity frowned. "That's the problem with this planet.   
There aren't enough green spaces left."  
  
"Well, keep thinking. Something will come to you. It usually   
does." Endymion bent his face up toward the ceiling and, as   
anticipated, Serenity bent down and kissed him. She then exited,   
leaving Endymion to his monitors and his thoughts.  
* * * *  
"Man, today was hard," Ves-Ves sighed as the group wandered from   
the classroom back to their living quarters. "I never thought I was   
going to understand all that algebra junk."  
  
Ves-Ves got a quick hip shot from Jun-Jun. When she looked over   
crossly, Jun-Jun quickly nodded to Hotaru and glared her sister amazon   
down.  
  
"You making any progress?" Usa asked Hotaru.  
  
"Not really," Hotaru replied glumly. "I just can't seem to get   
it. Some of the stuff makes sense, but when they say this connects to   
that and makes something else, I just don't see it!"  
  
"Hey, look on the bright side," chuckled Cere-Cere. "At least   
Palla-Palla will have some company."  
  
Hotaru's brow knit angrily.  
  
"Ow!" cried Cere-Cere. She quickly grasped her hand.  
  
"What happened?" Palla-Palla asked.  
  
"I don't know," Cere-Cere said, looking at her hand. "All of a   
sudden I got this jabbing pain in my hand."  
  
The others stopped and looked curiously. Jun-Jun noticed, though,   
that Hotaru seemed shocked by the sequence of events. Hotaru then   
noticed the girl looking at her.  
  
"Excuse me," Hotaru said quickly, flushing with embarrassment. "I   
have to go." And she quickly scurried off.  
  
"Hotaru?" Usa inquired, and went off in pursuit.  
  
"Way to go, Miss Sensitivity," scowled Jun-Jun.  
  
"I'm sorry," Cere-Cere offered weakly.  
  
"Hey, I'm the blunt one of this group and even I wouldn't say   
anything like that!" Ves-Ves grumbled.  
  
"It was a joke!" protested Cere-Cere.  
  
"Palla-Palla didn't think it was very funny," frowned Palla-Palla.  
  
"OK, OK, I'll go apologize to her! Doesn't anybody care that my   
hand hurts?"  
  
"No," Ves-Ves smirked.  
  
"Later, OK?" Jun-Jun said, holding onto her sister amazon's arm.   
"I think Hotaru's a little too upset right now."  
  
No sooner had Hotaru closed the door to her room and sat down on   
the bed then the electronic chime sounded. "Usagi Chiba, Princess of   
Crystal Tokyo, wishes entry," announced the computer in its toneless   
voice.  
  
"Let her in," Hotaru said softly.  
  
"Hotaru?" Usa said delicately. "Cere-Cere didn't mean anything by   
what she said."  
  
"It wasn't that," Hotaru replied, her eyes cast onto the floor.   
"Well, maybe part of it was. But it's not just that." The girl kept   
her eyes locked on the floor, refusing to look at Usa.  
  
"Is it your grades? Hotaru, you've only been in the future a   
week. It's going to take a little time to adjust." She sat down next   
to Hotaru on the bed. "Why I remember when I went into the past the   
first time. It was so strange and primitive. Computers didn't talk and   
cars burned gasoline, and all sorts of stuff. And I didn't think I   
could make anybody understand why I was there. It was kind of scary,   
especially since I was only five." Usa got a guilty grin. "I guess   
because of that I was kind of an obnoxious brat to a lot of people."  
  
"You?" Hotaru glanced cynically at her. "That's just so hard to   
believe."  
  
"All right, all right. The point is you have to give yourself   
some time. Things are a lot different now, just like they were a lot   
different then. But you'll get it."  
  
"I hope you're right," Hotaru said, closely scrutinizing her   
hands, which were folded in her lap. "Usa? I, um . . . I . . ."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Never mind," Hotaru whispered.  
  
"OK. Hey, Hotaru, do you want to go to a virtual movie?" Usa   
asked.  
  
"Virtual movie?"  
  
"Yeah, it's the supe! They use some kind of holographic process   
so the movie feels like it's actually happening all around you!" Usa   
flushed slightly. "Just - - don't ask me how."  
  
Hotaru laughed in spite of herself. "Well - - I don't know. I   
really should study."  
  
"Aw come on, Hotaru! All you've done since you got here is study!   
If you study too much, your brain's going to explode! That's a   
scientific fact!" Hotaru gave her another cynical look. "Well, that's   
what I heard."  
  
Hotaru rolled her eyes, then thought. "What kind of movie?"  
  
"Anything you want to see."  
  
"Are the others coming?"  
  
"They don't have to. I mean, they're my senshi, but we're not   
joined at the hip."  
  
"Do they still have popcorn?"  
  
"Yeah, but the synthetic topping sucks."  
  
Hotaru considered it.  
  
"I promise you can study all you want tomorrow," Usa told her.   
"I'll even study with you."  
  
"All right," Hotaru surrendered.  
  
"Great!" Usa grinned and hugged her friend. "You will have fun!   
I guarantee it!"  
* * * *  
Usa had been true to her word. The movie, a romantic love story,   
had been so realistic that Hotaru felt like a voyeur for much of it. At   
one point she actually reached out and tried to touch the male lead,   
only to hear Usa giggle when her hand passed through his arm. The   
technology was initially intimidating, but she warmed up to it in time   
and by the end of the film the two girls were leaning against each other   
dabbing their eyes with tissues and trading candy, Hotaru's chocolates   
for Usa's peppermints. That combination gave each girl a unique taste   
in her mouth and they giggled all the way home about it.  
  
No sooner had Hotaru's head hit her pillow than she was asleep.   
Initially her slumber was peaceful. However, it was not to last.  
  
Hotaru turned again on the bunk. She still slept, but it was a   
fitful sleep. The evidence was clear on her delicate face, now twisted   
in a harried grimace. Her small body shook a few times and she grimaced   
again, struggling with some unseen adversary. As a few low murmurs   
escaped, her lips moved slightly. She quivered again. Her hands   
clenched into fists.  
  
Still asleep, Hotaru began to shake her head, slowly at first.   
The tremors became more and more pronounced and reached a crescendo   
simultaneous with Hotaru's eyelids ripping open. She shot up to a   
sitting position, disoriented and wide-eyed. A hand touched her arm and   
she flinched.  
  
But it was only Palla-Palla sitting by her side.  
  
"Did you have a nightmare?" Palla-Palla asked innocently.  
  
"Yes," Hotaru said, expelling air. "What are you doing in my   
room?"  
  
"Palla-Palla is sorry, but she kind of felt some of your thoughts.   
It woke her up and she came to see if she could help."  
  
"I'm sorry if I woke you," Hotaru whispered, embarrassed.  
  
"Ves-Ves says Palla-Palla's not supposed to listen to other   
people's thoughts, but they were so strong Palla-Palla couldn't help   
it."  
  
"It's all right," Hotaru whispered.  
  
"Do you remember what you dreamed?"  
  
Hotaru thought. "I was struggling - - to get away from something.   
I don't remember what it was, but it wouldn't let me go."  
  
"Palla-Palla remembers all of her dreams - - even the scary ones.   
Palla-Palla remembers one she had a long time ago. It was real scary.   
Her mommy walked off and left her all alone and never came back."   
Palla-Palla stopped and frowned. "No wait, that one was real. Do you   
dream about your mommy?"  
  
"Sometimes," Hotaru said. It wasn't a subject she liked talking   
about. She glanced at the chronometer and saw it was one-thirty a.m.   
"I don't think it's going to be light soon. Maybe we better go back to   
sleep. Thanks for staying up with me."  
  
"Palla-Palla liked it, too," grinned Palla-Palla. "And   
Palla-Palla hopes those icky bad people don't come back to your dreams."  
  
"People?" Hotaru asked. "How much of my dream did you see?"  
  
"Palla-Palla didn't see your dream," the girl corrected her. "She   
just heard some of your thoughts. She doesn't know they were people,   
just that there was a bunch of them."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Because you kept thinking 'something-nine'."  
  
Because it was dark, Palla-Palla didn't see the color drain from   
Hotaru's face.  
  
Continued in Chapter 2 


	2. Secret Life

A SHADOW OVER CRYSTAL TOKYO  
Chapter 2: "Secret Life"  
  
By Bill K.  
  
The Crystal Palace dining hall was where everyone who worked or   
lived in the palace ate. At any one time you might find anyone from   
the lowest person on staff to one of the fabled inner senshi there.   
Only the King and Queen ate privately - - even the Princess ate in   
the dining hall, telling anyone who'd listen that eating in private   
was "aloof and elitist".  
  
This morning found Hotaru scattered among the few eating   
breakfast at that hour. The girl was clad in black again - - she   
always wore black when she needed to feel comfortable. She sat alone   
at a table, absently chewing on dry frosted cereal - - since she   
disliked milk, she prefered it dry. A glass of orange juice sat to   
the right of the bowl, while a pair of rice cakes slathered in   
strawberry jam was on the left. Hotaru stared at nothing in   
particular, dwelling on matters only she was privy to. After a few   
moments, she spooned up another bite of cereal. . .   
  
- - and noticed Rei sitting before her, smiling sympathetically.   
Rei wore her white and blue priest robes and looked to Hotaru's eye   
no different than she had in the twentieth century.  
  
"If you only take one bite an hour, you're never going to   
finish," Rei said with a light, teasing manner. Hotaru blushed.   
"How are you doing?"  
  
"Everyone keeps asking me that," Hotaru replied uncomfortably.  
  
"Sorry. We're just trying to make your transition as easy as   
possible. And we inner senshi have always been a nosy bunch of hens.   
I guess we can't help it." Rei smirked. "Just ask Usa - - drives   
her crazy."  
  
Hotaru nodded silently.  
  
"I imagine the place is still kind of daunting for you," Rei   
continued.  
  
"Yes," Hotaru said. "It's beautiful, but - - sometimes I feel   
like I'm five again."  
  
"New places can be intimidating," Rei smiled. "So can new   
things. Don't get discouraged. So has Usa taken you out on the town   
yet? She can be a party girl when she gets the mood. You should see   
her sing at this nightclub called 'The Gathering'."  
  
"No, we saw a movie. Usa sings?"  
  
"She's fantastic, and I'm not bad myself, so I'm completely   
jealous. The girl can hypnotize people with her voice and stage   
presence. I don't know where she gets it, because her mother can't   
sing a note."  
  
"I'll have to get her to take me."  
  
"Do you sing?"  
  
"No, I-I couldn't. It would be too embarrassing. Besides, my   
voice is too tiny. No one would hear it."  
  
"That's OK. We all have our strengths." She patted Hotaru's   
hand. "So cheer up. It'll be all right. And if you still need to   
talk, or you just want a charm, visit the shrine." She grinned at   
Hotaru. "And I'm always looking for shrine maidens, if you're   
interested."  
  
Hotaru grinned back. "I think that's one of the few things I   
am qualified to do right now."  
  
"You'll get it. Just have faith. After all, Serenity was the   
worst student in the history of the universe and look at her now."   
Rei got up and left. Hotaru watched her leave, wishing she could be   
as confident as Rei was.  
  
But Rei didn't know what she knew.  
  
Out in the hall, Rei turned the corner and found Ami waiting   
for her at the pre-arranged place.  
  
"What did you feel?" Ami asked, giving her friend a concerned   
look.  
  
"That is one troubled girl," Rei frowned. "She's worried about   
something, and it's not just trying to fit in."  
  
"Do you know what exactly?"  
  
"I'm psychic, not telepathic. All I read was tremendous   
anxiety, bordering on fear. I got the impression she's struggling   
with something and it's got her really spooked, but she seems too   
scared to say anything."  
  
Ami sighed. "Why are young people so reluctant to confide   
anything to their elders?" She frowned again. "Perhaps if I talked   
to her, I could draw it out of her."  
  
"Wait until tomorrow, huh?" Rei requested. "If you approach   
her too close to our talk, she may think we're ganging up on her and   
pull away further."  
  
"Yes, that makes sense. And I'll keep a close monitor on her   
performance in school today. Hopefully we can determine what's wrong   
and help her before it becomes too late."  
* * * *  
Hotaru walked down the hall to class, lost in thought. Once   
more her preoccupation allowed someone to slip up unnoticed.   
Suddenly she sensed a presence and turned.  
  
"Hi, Hotaru," Cere-Cere said cautiously. Hotaru noticed the   
girl still managed to look pretty even while wearing an ordinary   
salmon-colored top and white slacks, both made of something other   
than cotton. "I'm sorry about yesterday."  
  
"I suppose I overreacted a little, too," Hotaru confessed.   
"How's your hand?"  
  
"Oh, that?" smiled Cere-Cere. "It stopped hurting a long time   
ago. I don't know what it was, but it didn't hurt for long." She   
glanced at Hotaru and noticed her melancholy. "You OK?"  
  
Hotaru shrugged. "I had a little trouble sleeping last night.   
I had a bad dream. And I'm not looking forward to school."  
  
"Who does?" Cere-Cere joked. They walked along a bit.   
"Hotaru, my 'sisters' and I were going out tonight - - you know,   
trolling for boys. Would you like to go?"  
  
"Well," Hotaru said reluctantly, "it depends on how I do today.   
I was out last night with Usa, so I shouldn't put my school work   
off."  
  
"Sure, I understand," Cere-Cere shrugged. "I've heard a night   
out with Usa's like a week out with anyone else."  
  
"It's nothing against you," Hotaru quickly added. "I just,"   
and Hotaru stopped when she noticed everyone was in class but   
Palla-Palla. "Palla-Palla's not here?"  
  
"No, today's her special class. She's in another part of the   
palace."  
  
"Oh," Hotaru said, disappointed.  
  
"So are we OK?" asked Cere-Cere.  
  
"Yes," nodded Hotaru. "Just have patience with me. I'm not   
used to thirtieth century humor yet."  
  
"Sounds like you're doing a pretty good job to me," Cere-Cere   
said, flashing her a wry grin. She went over to where Jun-Jun was   
sitting. Usa waved to Hotaru and the girl waved back.  
* * * *  
In the office of Ami Mizuno, Chief Physician for the Palace and   
for Crystal Tokyo, Ami sat in her auto-recliner attending to the   
day's work.   
  
The auto-recliner was an ergonomically designed chair that   
conformed to the particular person's height and body shape. It   
possessed controls on each armrest and had several virtual computer   
displays projected a foot in front of the face of the person in the   
chair. The chair provided a relaxed environment in which to work,   
while at the same time delivering a continuous electrical current to   
the muscles in the back, posterior and legs to keep the muscle tone   
intact. It was said that eight hours in the chair was the equivalent   
of an hour's worth of exercise for everything but the arms and the   
cardiovascular system, plus a deep tissue massage after.  
  
As usual, Ami had her attention divided as she worked. One   
screen held reports from every hospital and clinic in Japan, breaking   
down the week's health statistics by disease and injury, by   
geographic region, and by age and sex of patient. Another screen was   
a report on the latest testing of a new strobe laser treatment for   
kidney malfunction. A third contained the latest research on the new   
strain of Garon-Barre virus that was gaining ground in Europe.  
  
The fourth screen was an optical view of Hotaru in her   
classroom. Listed on the screen were telemetry readouts of her   
physical signs such as blood pressure and heart rate and a constantly   
updating record of her scores and the subjects she was working on.   
Ami paused from her reading of the laser report to give Hotaru's   
screen more scrutiny.   
  
The girl was making quick progress in arts courses, such as   
literature, language and composition, art and music. In another week   
she'd be completely caught up with Usa and the amazons. Her grasp of   
history was going more slowly, but she was making steady progress   
and, given that she had another thousand years worth of history to   
learn than she had just ten days ago (her time), Ami judged her to be   
making sufficient progress.  
  
However, it was the science courses that were still dragging   
Hotaru down. Simple math was no problem for her, but her scores in   
calculus, biology, biochemistry, nuclear physics, computer   
programming and astrophysics were still low. She seemed to be making   
little progress. It worried Ami, for these were skills necessary for   
someone who wanted to go into medicine as Hotaru did.  
  
What also worried Ami was the effect it was having on Hotaru.   
Just looking at her face, Ami could see the mounting frustration   
etched into it. Any success she had in her other subjects seemed to   
be crushed by her failure in the sciences. Ami worried that sooner   
or later Hotaru would just give up.  
  
A screen popped up before Ami. It was a requisition form,   
asking for permission to continue experimentation on recombining DNA   
in order to reduce the risk of radiation allergy in humans. Ami   
reviewed the entire proposal and was about to press the ascent light   
on the screen when something else caught her attention. She looked   
down and saw Hotaru's screen had gone blank.  
  
"Classroom four, view from headmaster," Ami demanded.   
  
A new screen popped up, showing the entire classroom from the   
viewpoint of the virtual observation teacher. The observation   
teacher was looking at Hotaru, as were the other students.  
  
"Audio replay from 14:47 hours," Ami demanded.  
  
"Princess, the library consists of . . ." the replay began,   
with the virtual teacher speaking in Makoto's simulated voice.   
"Malfunction. Hotaru-chan, is your lesson screen malfunctioning?"  
  
"Yes," Hotaru said, surprised and just a little intimidated by   
the turn of events. "It-It just went blank."  
  
"Recording sudden energy spike at 14:48 hours," 'Makoto'   
reported. "Unit is off-line. Hotaru-chan, would you please move to   
another seat and resume your lessons there?"  
  
"A-All right," Hotaru said and moved to another seat.  
  
Ami studied the picture with concern. Hotaru seemed frightened   
by what had just happened. Now was that because of her unfamiliarity   
with virtual technology? Did she think the power surge that crashed   
the teaching station was somehow her fault? It was a common   
assumption among people with technophobia.  
  
Running an initial diagnostic on the teaching station, Ami   
couldn't see any indication of what had caused the spike. She looked   
back at the screen watching Hotaru.  
  
Suddenly Ami began to wonder if Hotaru had reason to fear the   
crash was her fault.  
* * * *  
Midnight approached the grounds of the palace of Crystal Tokyo.   
Most activity was stilled, but there were some people still awake,   
whether by duty or by choice. Outside the walls, though, were two   
who were awake by choice.  
  
"We are going to get it!" Cere-Cere whispered as she and   
Ves-Ves eased along the wall. The front door to the palace was in   
sight, as were the electronic monitors.  
  
"Hey, nobody tied you down and held you prisoner until   
midnight," Ves-Ves told her in an equally hushed voice.  
  
"It's not my fault," Cere-Cere huffed. "Looking into   
Tsuyoshi's eyes could make anyone lose track of time."  
  
"Right," snickered Ves-Ves. "You know, that's the difference   
between you and me. You stay out past curfew with a cute guy and   
then feel guilty about it after. I don't. Yoshi is worth Sensei   
Minako-sama's wrath."  
  
"I'm beginning to think you don't feel guilty about anything."  
  
"That's not true. That time I squirted mud into your ballet   
slippers, I felt really guilty about that - - after I stopped   
laughing."  
  
"Beast," scowled Cere-Cere. "Well, we might as well get it   
over with."  
  
"You're just going to give up?" Ves-Ves asked. "You are a   
priss."  
  
"Well the minute we pass through the door the security system   
is going to record our arrival! There's no way around it! What do   
you suggest, that we sleep out here?"  
  
"Watch and learn," smirked Ves-Ves. She brought out her   
henshin stick and quietly said, "Vesta Power Make Up." Transforming   
to Sailor Vesta, she said, "Fauna Assimilation - - chimpanzee."   
Vesta's form began contracting until she was an odd amalgamation of a   
human and a chimp.  
  
"Finally your true form emerges," snickered Cere-Cere.   
  
Vesta made a rude gesture at her, then began climbing up the   
seemingly sheer surface of the palace wall. Though the crystal   
seemed smooth, Vesta was able to find handholds in the wall and in   
seconds was twenty feet up the wall, headed for a third story window.  
  
"Not bad," nodded Cere-Cere, producing her henshin stick. "But   
I think I can do it even easier. Ceres Power Make Up." After the   
transformation took hold, Ceres pointed at the ground. "Floral   
Stimulation."  
  
Instantly a bud poked out of the ground. In seconds a rosebush   
began to grow and thicken under her feet. When the branches became   
solid enough to hold her, the bush pushed upward, expanding around   
her feet. Flowers bloomed on the bush as it began to overtake Vesta,   
but no thorns came anywhere near the bush's mistress.  
  
"Race you to the window," chuckled Ceres as the bush sprinted   
up past her sister's simian form.  
  
Moments later, though, she felt the bush jostle and looked   
down. Vesta was on the bush now, nimbly climbing up the rapidly   
growing thing. Vesta scampered to the top of the bush and, with the   
window a mere eight feet away now, pushed off and jumped up to the   
sill. Ceres nearly lost her balance and gave a frightened squeal as   
she and the bush moved to right her.  
  
"You could have knocked me off!" hissed Ceres as she stepped   
onto the windowsill.   
  
"If you hadn't been showboating, you'd have been ready,"   
shrugged Vesta, reverting to human form. She and Ceres turned to   
head for their quarters - - and spotted Makoto waiting for them at   
the end of the hall.  
  
"Late night, ladies?" Makoto asked, barely suppressing a smile.  
  
"Yeah," shrugged Vesta, knowing when she was caught. "We met a   
couple of guys and . . ."  
  
"And nature took its course," grinned Makoto. "Believe it or   
not, I do remember what it was like."  
  
"We're sorry," offered Ceres. "Please don't be too hard on   
us."  
  
"Don't worry. I'm not going to do anything to you." Both   
girls seemed visibly relieved. "I'll leave that to Rei, since   
starting tomorrow you are both pulling shrine maiden duty for two   
weeks."  
  
Both girls groaned. "I still have wax under my fingernails   
from last time!" Vesta moaned.  
  
"She'll make us scrub floors!" wailed Ceres. "Do you know what   
that does to my hands?"  
  
"Every pleasure has a price," Makoto told them. "So, were they   
worth it?"  
  
"Yoshi was," leered Vesta.  
  
Makoto escorted the two girls back to their rooms. As they   
walked down the still palace hall, though, the silence of the   
midnight was suddenly pierced by a high-pitched, blood-curdling   
scream of utter terror. Both girls froze. However, Makoto leaped   
into action, racing down the hall even as her henshin stick appeared   
in her hand.   
  
Arriving at the sound of the screams, which hadn't abated,   
Sailor Jupiter activated the override for the electronic lock. The   
door hissed open and Jupiter peered in, ready for anything. Vesta   
and Ceres were behind her, their eyes wide. All they saw, though,   
was the dark figure of Hotaru huddled in the center of her bed.   
Though it was dark, they could tell she was shaking and her   
whimpering could still be heard.   
  
"Hotaru, honey, what happened?" Jupiter asked as she sat on the   
bed next to the girl. Hotaru leaped into her arms, crushing her   
small body to Jupiter's large frame. Lumps formed in the throats of   
Vesta and Ceres as they saw the naked terror shudder through her   
body. "It's all right. Nothing's going to hurt you. What   
happened?"  
  
"She was here," Hotaru whispered fearfully, as if she feared   
saying the words out loud would bring the terror back. "Sailor   
Jupiter, she was here."  
  
"Who was here?" Jupiter asked.  
  
"What's going on?" Jun-Jun asked, appearing in the doorway.   
Palla-Palla was huddled next to her and was crying. "Palla-Palla was   
crying and then I heard all this commotion."  
  
"Hotaru, who was here?" Jupiter asked again.  
  
"Mistress 9!" wailed Hotaru. "She was standing right here! I   
saw her!"  
  
"Mistress 9?" gasped Jupiter incredulously. "How? Are you   
sure?"  
  
"Yes! She was standing right there, where Vesta is now! She   
was looking at me, staring at me, smiling! Oh, Jupiter, I can't go   
through that again! I just can't!"  
  
She clung desperately to Jupiter and the senshi held onto her   
tightly. Palla-Palla began to cry harder and the other Amazoness   
senshi looked to one another helplessly, wondering what in blazes was   
happening.  
  
Continued in Chapter 3 


	3. A Search For Answers

A SHADOW OVER CRYSTAL TOKYO,  
Chapter 3: "A Search for Answers"  
  
By Bill K.  
  
"Come on, Minako, get up!" Sailor Jupiter said, nudging the   
sleeping blonde harder.  
  
"Makoto," growled Minako, her face still buried in a pillow,   
"unless you've suddenly changed into a very handsome, eligible man,   
you better get scarce!"  
  
"Come on! We've got a security breech!"  
  
"Is Serenity threatened?" Minako asked seriously.  
  
"Not at the moment. I don't want to risk it getting that far."  
  
"What happened?" Minako asked, producing her henshin stick.  
  
"Hotaru claims she saw Mistress 9 standing by her bed."  
  
"Mistress 9?!!" Minako goggled. "Do you believe her?"  
  
"Why would she lie?"  
  
In Hotaru's room, Ami sat next to the girl. Her arms were   
around Hotaru and a sedative had calmed the girl's hysterics.   
However, Hotaru was very subdued and not a little afraid. On   
Hotaru's other side, Usa sat in her flimsy pink nightie, the one that   
always scandalized her parents. Her only concern at the moment,   
though, was her friend. Outside in the hall, the Amazons watched   
pensively with the king and queen.  
  
"Hotaru," Ami began in a soft, calming voice, "can you tell me   
exactly what happened?"  
  
Hotaru fiddled nervously with her hands.  
  
"Well," the girl ventured timidly, "I was having trouble   
sleeping."  
  
"Have you been having a lot of trouble sleeping lately?" Ami   
asked.  
  
"A little."  
  
"Go ahead."  
  
"Well, I finally drifted off," Hotaru explained. "Then   
suddenly I opened my eyes - - and she was there!"  
  
"Are you sure it wasn't part of a dream you were having?" Ami   
asked.  
  
"No! It was real! It was!"  
  
"All right. You understand I had to ask. Some dreams can be   
very disorienting and in the waking state a person can confuse   
reality and the dream." Hotaru nodded reluctantly. "Did she say   
anything?"  
  
"No. She just smiled and stared," Hotaru said, her eyes wide   
and staring, "like she knew she could take me over again anytime she   
wanted to. And then she reached out, like she was going to touch me.   
That's when I screamed." The girl's features scrunched up, like she   
was trying to shut the memory out of her mind. "I can't go through   
that again! I won't!"  
  
"You won't, Hotaru," Usa vowed, holding onto her friend. "I   
promise." She looked up as she held onto Hotaru and her gaze locked   
onto her mother, standing outside. "Mama, can't you do something?"  
  
Serenity looked to Ami for permission.  
  
"I can't give her another sedative," Ami said.  
  
Serenity nodded and glided in. As she reached out, she began   
to take on a silver glow. Her palm pressed to Hotaru's forehead.   
The girl's eyes rolled up into her head and she smiled warmly.  
  
"Beautiful," Hotaru whispered.  
  
"We'll help you, Hotaru," Serenity said softly. "Don't worry.   
Be at peace."  
  
Hotaru relaxed visibly. Ami and Usa eased the girl back into   
bed. Ami checked the girl's vitals while Usa turned to her mother.  
  
"Thank you, Mama," Usa whispered gratefully.  
  
Outside, Jun-Jun noticed Palla-Palla seemed to calm as Hotaru   
did. Just the same, she hung onto her sister protectively.  
  
"Palace-wide sensors can't find any evidence of any intruders.   
I think the crisis is over now," King Endymion told the girls. "Why   
don't you girls go back to bed."  
  
"Yes, Your Majesty," Ceres said, bowing.  
  
"Just who is this Mistress 9, anyway?" Vesta asked, then   
quickly added, "Your Majesty."  
  
"Consult your computer history files," Endymion replied. "The   
full story's there."  
  
Usa insisted on staying with Hotaru, so Serenity gathered   
Endymion and her inner senshi out in the hall.  
  
"Is it possible?" Serenity asked.  
  
"Well, I'm convinced she saw something she thought was Mistress   
9," Ami reported. "Whether it actually was Mistress 9 or someone or   
something else is hard to say. I don't suppose your monitors caught   
anything, Endymion?"  
  
"I don't have observation devices in personal quarters,"   
Endymion said. "I'm checking the recordings of the hall to see if   
anyone came out."  
  
"Or in," Venus prompted. "If she's back somehow, we need to   
find out where she got in."  
  
"But Mistress 9 died, didn't she?" Mars asked. "I mean that's   
what I thought. I wasn't there exactly." She glanced at Serenity.  
  
"I thought she died," Serenity said. "It sounded like she did.   
It felt like she did. But how much do we really know about those - -   
things? Maybe it never did die. Maybe it can't. Maybe it's just   
been sleeping all these years and something woke it up."  
  
"Yeah, even though it's been a thousand years for us, that   
might not mean anything to them," Jupiter continued. "Maybe it is   
Mistress 9 and she's just been dormant."  
  
"This is all pointless speculation," Ami declared. "We need   
more facts first. Everyone knows their jobs here. We need to   
acquire more information, then form a theory."  
  
"Yeah, but useless speculation is way more fun," joked Venus.  
  
"Don't make me give you a hot foot," Mars glared.  
  
"All right, children," Serenity smiled. "Let's all try to do   
this quietly so the other people in the palace can get back to sleep   
- - like me, for one."  
  
"We should do a sweep of the palace first," Jupiter suggested.   
"Make sure whatever this is isn't still lurking about."  
  
"I'll do another check of the vid-recordings and then come up,"   
Endymion told Serenity.  
  
She nodded and escorted the others off. Endymion lingered long   
enough to pop his head into Hotaru's room. Hotaru was asleep, while   
Usa sat in a chair next to her, on guard.  
  
"Call us if anything happens, OK Honey?" Endymion requested.  
  
"OK, Pop," Usa responded.  
  
"She'll be all right."  
  
Usa replied with a timid smile.  
  
"Lights!" Ves-Ves growled as she entered the room. The lights   
in her quarters came on, revealing its Spartan, sports-oriented   
décor. "Computer on!"  
  
"Computer on," the mechanical voice emanating from the terminal   
replied. "How may I serve you?"  
  
"Tell me about Mistress 9," Ves-Ves demanded.  
  
"Insufficient query," the computer told her. "Please redefine   
your parameters."  
  
"Just answer the question, stupid!" growled Ves-Ves.  
  
"No question was stated."  
  
"How would you like my foot through your screen?"  
  
"Non-linear response. Please redefine your query."  
  
Jun-Jun leaned against the entry portal and shook her head.   
"Computer, consult historical records and biographical databases.   
Provide all biographical data and first listed historical appearance   
on person or entity named Mistress 9 - - time context late twentieth   
century."  
  
"Please wait," the computer replied. Jun-Jun gave Ves-Ves a   
superior smile.  
  
"That's what I said!" Ves-Ves protested.  
  
"Ves-Ves, it's a device. It can't interpret. You have to talk   
to it a certain way or it doesn't understand," Jun-Jun told her.   
"It's sort of like talking to Palla-Palla. OW!" Jun-Jun recoiled in   
pain, grabbing her leg about shin high. She turned and found   
Palla-Palla glaring at her.  
  
"You're not nice!" Palla-Palla charged.  
  
"You tell her," chuckled Ves-Ves.  
  
"Hey, look at this!" Cere-Cere said, staring at the computer   
screen.  
  
The others crowded around and read the biographical file   
outlining what Mistress 9 was and describing her attempt to pave the   
way for an invasion of Earth from deep space. It related a summary   
of the titanic battle between her and the Deathbusters on one side   
and the Sailor Senshi on the other. The room gained an eerie   
silence.  
  
"Wow," Ves-Ves marveled. "I thought what WE did was bad."  
  
"Yeah, well, Hotaru was possessed," Jun-Jun remarked. "We were   
just twisted."  
  
"What's this word?" Palla-Palla asked, pointing to it on the   
screen.  
  
"Obliterate?" Cere-Cere nodded. "It means they were going to   
kill everything."  
  
"Even the bunnies?" gasped Palla-Palla. Cere-Cere nodded and   
Palla-Palla swallowed. "No wonder Miss Hotaru was so scared."  
  
"If this thing's coming back, we've got to do something,"   
Ves-Ves concluded. "Warn the princess at least."  
  
"She already knows. Look here," and Jun-Jun pointed to a   
paragraph. "She went back in time when she was twelve and got   
involved. Mistress 9 took her heart crystal - - almost killed her."  
  
"And they're still friends?"  
  
"Yeah," Jun-Jun nodded, equally impressed.  
  
"So what do we do?" asked Cere-Cere.  
  
Jun-Jun thought. "When in doubt, defer to the princess."  
  
Usa folded her arms over her chest. The flimsy nightie she   
wore was little protection against the cool airflow of the room. She   
silently wished she had her old flannel PJ's right now, but she   
wasn't going to leave Hotaru's side to get them. So she sat in the   
chair and shivered.  
  
Hotaru seemed peaceful. That helped ease Usa's discomfort.   
She reached over and brushed some of Hotaru's bangs out of her face.  
  
"Why does bad luck seem to follow you around?" Usa whispered.   
"It's not fair. You deserve to be happy just like everybody else."  
  
The electronic door chime sounded. "Jun-Jun, Ves-Ves,   
Palla-Palla and Cere-Cere wish entry," the computer announced softly.  
  
"Enter," Usa said. The door slid open and the four Amazons   
ventured in cautiously.  
  
"Princess," Jun-Jun began, "we read the history file. Is there   
anything we can do?"  
  
"I don't know," Usa whispered. "I don't know what's going to   
happen. I almost expect Mistress 9 to show up at any time. The only   
thing I could think of is Hotaru shouldn't be alone."  
  
"It's not bad thinking, Princess," Cere-Cere said. "Want some   
company?"  
  
Usa was surprised by the offer.  
  
"We kind of feel bad for Hotaru, what she's going through,"   
Ves-Ves said. "We've got things in our past that we're trying to get   
away from. So we kind of know where she's coming from."  
  
A memory of Black Lady flashed through Usa's mind. "Believe it   
or not, I know what you mean. I don't mind. The more the merrier, I   
guess. But if we're going to be working together, why don't you call   
me 'Usa' and not 'princess'?"  
  
"OK," Jun-Jun smiled timidly. "Thank you." Each girl took a   
seat either in a chair or on the floor.  
  
"I hope I can stay awake," Cere-Cere moaned. "I haven't been   
to bed yet."  
  
"Do any of you snore?" Usa joked.  
  
"Not as loud as you do," grinned Ves-Ves. Usa replied with a   
wagging tongue.  
  
"Anything?" Jupiter asked Endymion as the king emerged from his   
monitor room.   
  
"No evidence she went in or out," Endymion told her. They   
walked down the hall slowly. "No evidence Mistress 9 or anyone   
unusual was even here. Nothing out of the ordinary - - unless you   
count two young ladies sneaking in a third story window."  
  
Jupiter smiled. "I've already dealt with that. Venus and I   
have checked this place up and down, along with the staff. Nothing.   
She's not here. She may not have ever been here."  
  
"Or she can teleport," suggested Endymion. Jupiter looked   
distressed.  
  
"Thanks. I needed to hear that," she scowled. "Do you think   
it's true?"  
  
"I don't know yet. I'd like to think it's not, but if it's   
not, then that means Hotaru is a very troubled young girl. That   
thought doesn't appeal to me, either."  
  
"No. Poor kid; she just doesn't seem to catch a break, does   
she? Hey, do you suppose Haruka and Michiru would come back if they   
knew she needed them? They're practically her family and if Mistress   
9 is back, we could use their help."  
  
"I'm sure they wouldn't hesitate to come back," commented   
Endymion. "The question is, how to contact them?"  
  
Luna and Artemis intercepted Endymion and Makoto in the hall.   
The cats ran up to them brimming with excitement.  
  
"Your Majesty," puffed Luna, "Artemis has a very intriguing   
discovery! You might be interested in it, given the current state of   
affairs!"  
  
"What are you two doing up this late?" smiled Makoto.  
  
"We're cats," Artemis said, dropping a clear cell with black   
lines on it he was carrying in his mouth. "We do our best work at   
night." Endymion stooped down and picked up the cell. "That's a   
printout of some energy readings I took tonight. See when the spike   
occurred?"  
  
Endymion studied the graph. "That's about the time Hotaru   
screamed."  
  
"That's right," nodded Artemis. "And that's a pretty big   
spike, too. Something with a very big power potential made that."  
  
"Someone like Mistress 9?" asked Makoto.  
  
"Mistress 9?" asked Luna. "Then the rumors are true?"  
  
"What rumors?" Endymion asked.  
  
"It's a big palace, Your Majesty," Luna told him, "and when   
there's a vacuum of information, that vacuum tends to be filled by   
something. So you actually saw her?"  
  
"No, Hotaru's the only one who saw her. But this energy spike   
must mean she was here," Makoto concluded.  
  
"It's not conclusive," Endymion said. "Any idea what kind of   
energy discharge this is?"  
  
"Not without a more sophisticated scan," Artemis told him.   
  
Endymion nodded. "Keep taking the readings. Let me know if   
you get another spike, even if it isn't as big as this one." The   
cats nodded. "Well, I better get back to bed. Serenity will be   
wondering where I am."  
  
The door to the royal chamber slid open. Endymion looked into   
the dark and saw his wife sitting up in bed, her long golden hair   
combed out of its odangos again.  
  
"There you are," Serenity said in the dark, relieved. "I was   
beginning to wonder."  
  
"Makoto and I got way-layed in the hall by Artemis and Luna,"   
Endymion explained. "Artemis found an energy spike that coincides   
with Hotaru screaming."  
  
"Does that mean it's true?" Serenity asked. Endymion climbed   
into bed with her and she leaned on his chest.  
  
"There's nothing conclusive that says its Mistress 9," he said.   
"Only that something is going on." He brought his arms around his   
wife and they slid down into bed together. "We'll find out what's   
happening. Don't worry."  
  
"Yes," Serenity said, her look of determination lost in the   
darkness of the room. "I will."  
  
Continued in part 4 


	4. Sacrificing For Your Friends

A SHADOW OVER CRYSTAL TOKYO,  
Chapter 4: "Sacrificing for Your Friends"  
  
By Bill K.  
  
Four-thirty was not the usual time Ami woke up. Yet, there she   
sat, in her reclining workstation, dressed in her nightgown and a   
robe. Her hair was unkempt and she sipped from a cup of hot tea as   
she rubbed her red eyes. She knew the prescription for them and the   
general grogginess she felt was sleep, but when you wake up at four   
a.m. and realize after a half hour of tossing and turning that you're   
not going to go back to sleep, that remedy is out of the question.  
  
"Something about this is bothering me," she murmured to   
herself, safe in vocalizing her thoughts to herself because no one   
else was around. "I gave Hotaru a general medical scan when she   
first arrived here. There were no measurable abnormalities." Her   
eyes searched through the data from the medical scan, displayed on a   
virtual screen before her.  
  
Touching the screen, a highlighted section of the outline of   
Hotaru's body enlarged so Ami could look more closely at the brain   
scan. Telemetry data displayed beneath the highlighted section. Ami   
absently pushed the glasses up her nose as she concentrated on the   
display. The woman stared at the display as it patiently waited for   
her next command. Her eyes seemed to bore holes through it as she   
made mental calculations and turned differing theories over in her   
mind.  
  
An electronic chime sounded, bringing her back to this reality.   
"Rei Hino wishes entry," the computer said. Ami gave the approval.   
Rei walked in, wearing her priest's robes. Her face was flushed and   
sweaty.  
  
"You're up early," Rei said. To her unspoken question, Rei   
replied, "I sensed you were up."  
  
"And from the looks of you, I doubt you've even been to bed,"   
Ami replied. "Find anything?"  
  
"More confusion," Rei scowled. "It's strange. I don't get a   
sense of Mistress 9 at all. And I know what she feels like. That   
period was one of the most traumatic periods I've ever been through   
as a psychic. You don't forget things like that. If Mistress 9 got   
within this solar system, I think I'd be able to tell."  
  
"But you did sense something," judged Ami.  
  
"From what I can read off of Hotaru and what I can tell from   
the flames, something's going on with her. She's scared to death.   
That was no act last night. That was naked terror. I still have a   
headache from it. I think Palla-Palla sensed it, too. Did you   
notice her crying?"  
  
"Yes, I did." Ami scrutinized the display again. "Do you   
think it's possible Mistress 9 has taken a new form? Could some   
essence of her have been reborn with Hotaru and taken on her - -   
well, whatever psychic signature you read - - instead of reflecting   
Pharaoh 90 and The Silence?"  
  
Rei looked at her askance. "Ami, I'm just a simple priest.   
You're asking things of me that I'm not sure I even understand."  
  
"Sorry," Ami said, dropping her eyes in chagrin for a moment.   
Rei noticed the display.  
  
"That's Hotaru's medfile, isn't it?" Rei asked. "You find   
anything?"  
  
"Just that," Ami answered, pointing to a section of Hotaru's   
frontal lobe. It was colored in gradient shades of red, orange and   
yellow while the rest of the brain was yellows, greens and blues.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"This is an encephalograph of Hotaru's brain. The colors   
represent brainwave activity in percentage grades. The hotter the   
color, the more brainwave activity present. This one section colored   
in reds and oranges is the part of the brain where extra-sensory   
brain functions come from. You've got a spot on your EEG right   
there, too, and it's even bigger and redder than Hotaru's."  
  
"Are you saying she's psychic?" Rei asked.  
  
"Not necessarily. She has the potential for psycho-sensory   
abilities. They may be precognitive like yours, or telepathic like   
Palla-Palla. They may be something else. Roughly twenty-five   
percent of the population has a spot this developed. And when it   
reaches this stage, usually with the onset of puberty, psycho-kinetic   
abilities can develop. However, it's not a given. Hotaru's previous   
incarnation had some rudimentary telekinesis and psycho-restorative   
healing ability, but to my knowledge she's never demonstrated any   
abilities in this life."  
  
"Could it be her powers starting to bloom?"  
  
"It could be," frowned Ami. "But with recent events, I'm   
beginning to wonder now. Are we looking at the formation of 'Esper   
Waves' or is this where Mistress 9's been hiding?"  
  
"Do you have some way to test for it?"  
  
"For Esper Waves? Yes. I was planning to give it to Hotaru   
after her trip to Elysian. But I don't have a test for Mistress 9."  
  
"Well," shrugged Rei, "if you give her the test and it's not   
this 'Esper' stuff - - what else could it be?"  
  
Ami glanced at Rei. It was a possibility she didn't want to   
admit.  
* * * *  
Hotaru's eyes opened easily, but it was a few moments before   
she realized where she was. Groggy, she sat up in bed.  
  
"Good morning, Hotaru Tomoe," said the computer when its'   
wake-up program was triggered by motion detectors. "Today is   
Thursday, August 17, 2995 AD. May I be . . ."  
  
"Computer off!" growled Ves-Ves. "Man, I hate those things.   
Computers have no right being perky."  
  
Ves-Ves grew silent with the realization that Hotaru was   
staring at her and her sisters. The girl grew self-conscious and   
offered her a weak smile. Before Hotaru could say anything, though,   
they all turned when Usa snorted loudly in her sleep.  
  
"Princess," called Cere-Cere gently. "Hotaru's awake." There   
was no response from the sleeping girl. "Princess?"  
  
Ves-Ves scooted a few feet across the floor until her foot was   
in reach of the pedestal chair. She nudged the chair with light   
forcefulness. It teetered to one side for an agonizing moment, Usa   
oblivious to it all, then toppled to the floor, spilling the princess   
rudely onto her side.  
  
"Ahhh!" cried the startled princess. She got to a sitting   
position, looking around in confusion, until she heard Palla-Palla   
giggling. Her eyes narrowed and her gaze immediately locked onto   
Ves-Ves. "This is your doing."  
  
"Is it my fault you're a sound sleeper?" Ves-Ves said,   
unapologetic and slightly smug.  
  
"You - - are on my list," Usa scowled.   
  
"Are you all right, Usa?" Hotaru asked, barely restraining her   
own laughter.  
  
"I'm OK. Just my pride got hurt." She started to get up, then   
grimaced. "And my butt!" Pushing past the pain, the pink-tressed   
teen sat on the side of Hotaru's bed. "The important thing is how   
are you?"  
  
"I'm all right now," Hotaru said, her expression clouding over   
as she recalled the events of the previous night. "But you stayed   
with me all night! I'm sorry I put . . ."  
  
"Ah!" Usa said sharply, holding up her hand to stop Hotaru.   
"You're my friend, Hotaru. There's nothing in the world I wouldn't   
do for you - - nothing!"  
  
Hotaru looked to her lap, embarrassed. But the small signs of   
a grateful smile crept along the edges of her tiny mouth.  
  
"And the rest of you?" Hotaru asked, glancing up at the   
Amazons.  
  
"Well," Jun-Jun offered weakly, "we're senshi in training. And   
senshi are supposed to help people. And you looked like you needed   
help."  
  
"Yeah, especially after we read about this Mistress 9   
character," Ves-Ves added. "We figured you could use some back up."  
  
Hotaru's gaze fell to her lap again. "Thank you. I-I'll try   
to be worthy of this."  
  
"Miss Hotaru Ma'am," Palla-Palla said. "Please don't worry.   
That mean old lady won't hurt you. Palla-Palla will do everything   
she can to help the Princess protect you."  
  
Her finger slipping under her eyelid to wipe a tear away,   
Hotaru grinned. "I guess I don't have anything to worry about then,   
huh?"  
  
"That's right," Usa reassured her. "You don't."  
  
"OK," Hotaru nodded. It was at that point when she noticed her   
friend's very flimsy nightie. "Usa, that nightie is so adult!"  
  
"Yeah, I know!" grinned Usa. "You like it?"  
  
"It looks very nice on you." Hotaru flushed. "I could never   
wear anything like that."  
  
"Sure you could."  
  
"Usa," Hotaru smiled patiently, "not all of us are blessed with   
the - - gifts you have."  
  
"I could wear it," Ves-Ves claimed.  
  
"And not look like a boy?" needled Cere-Cere.  
  
"Hey! I've got just as much as she does!"  
  
"Yeah, but you don't know how to use it," Cere-Cere shot back.  
  
"Could we have this discussion LATER," hissed Jun-Jun. Usa and   
Hotaru traded amused glances.  
  
"Um, I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but, um . . ." Hotaru   
began.  
  
"What is it?" Usa asked.  
  
"Well," Hotaru hesitated, slightly embarrassed, "I think I'd   
like to get dressed now."  
  
Usa seemed to stare at her, uncomprehending, for a moment.   
"Oh!" she said finally, her hands flying to her mouth. "Oh, right!   
Come on, everybody, let's go!" and she shot up off the bed. The   
Amazons got up and followed her to the door.  
  
"Usa?" Hotaru called after them. "Everybody - - thank you   
again."  
  
"Comes with the territory, Hotaru," Usa smiled warmly.  
  
"That really does look nice on you," Cere-Cere offered as they   
left the room.  
  
"You think so?" Usa asked. "Daddy nearly stroked out when he   
saw it."  
  
When she was alone, Hotaru climbed out of bed and headed for   
the bathroom. After washing up, she looked at herself in the mirror.   
Sure, she wasn't as beautiful and vivacious as her friend was, but   
she was comfortable with the way she looked. Her hand ran a brush   
through her shoulder-length black hair. But did she really just want   
to be "comfortable"? She was smaller than Usa and the others, but   
that didn't mean she couldn't try to look more attractive. After   
all, she was thinking about boys more and more now and some day she   
wanted to do more than think about them. She looked again in the   
mirror. Maybe she could do something with her hair. It looked so   
- - so child-like. Maybe she could look a little more sophisticated   
with a different style - - even, dare she think it, alluring?  
  
Her shoulders slumped. It'd take a lot more than a new hair   
style to compete with Usa - - or the Amazons for that matter. They   
were almost as glamorous as Usa was - - except for Palla-Palla, and   
her attitude was so child-like she didn't even try. Even though they   
were only a year older than Hotaru was, it seemed like they were   
all a million times older and more adult.  
  
Sighing in frustration, her brow knit, Hotaru put the brush   
down. Then, like a bolt of lightning, she jumped back, startled, at   
a quick sound. She looked up and saw the mirror cracked into ten or   
fifteen pieces, still in its frame. Multiple images of her staring   
back in wide-eyed horror greeted her. Her hands came up to her mouth   
and the images imitated her, as if they mocked her confusion and   
anxiety.  
  
Then she felt it. Something strange in the room - - no, in   
her, pulsing and pounding, trying to get out, trying to break free.   
Her breathing quickened and she shook her head, the act a symbolic   
denial of what she dreaded most.  
  
And all at once an eerie calm swept over her body. It was   
coupled with a dreadful sadness, for Hotaru knew what she had to do. Walking out of the bathroom, she crossed over to her closet and got dressed.  
* * * *  
"Aren't you coming to breakfast?" Jun-Jun asked.  
  
"I want to see if Hotaru wants to join us," Usa said, walking   
down the hall to Hotaru's quarters.  
  
"She never has before. Then come to think of it, you've never   
before, either."  
  
"That's because you four eat too early."  
  
"No, that's because you sleep too late," Jun-Jun observed.  
  
"Same difference," Usa shrugged. She arrived at the door and   
pressed the chime. There was no answer. She pressed again and again   
no answer. "Hotaru? It's Usa!"  
  
"These quarters are currently unoccupied," reported the   
computerized door. Usa turned to Jun-Jun.  
  
"Maybe she's already in the cafeteria," Jun-Jun shrugged.  
  
The girls headed for the cafeteria. Inside, they spotted the   
other Amazons. Cere-Cere waved to them. The pair hurried over.  
  
"Hi, Princess!" smiled Palla-Palla. "Palla-Palla's having   
Frosty Rings today! See?"  
  
"Hotaru's not here?" Usa asked.  
  
"We thought she was with you," Ves-Ves said.  
  
"No," Jun-Jun shook her head.  
  
"Did you try her room?" asked Cere-Cere.  
  
"She wasn't there."  
  
"Maybe she went on ahead to class."  
  
"Why? Anymore that's her least favorite place in the whole   
universe."  
  
"Palla-Palla, can you try to home in on her thoughts?" Usa   
asked.  
  
Palla-Palla shook her head sadly. "People's thoughts just come   
to Palla-Palla. When she listens for them, nothing happens."  
  
"Maybe you should ask the king where she is," Cere-Cere   
ventured.  
  
"And get her into trouble? No way," Usa replied firmly. Then   
she got an idea. "But I might have a way to go around him." Usa   
turned and sprinted out of the cafeteria.  
  
Jun-Jun followed. She found Usa outside engaging one of the   
access terminals to the computer system that oversaw basic functions   
of the palace. Usa had finished her commands by the time she got   
close enough, but Jun-Jun heard her say "Tomoe".  
  
"What are you doing?" Jun-Jun asked.  
  
"Well, being princess actually does have a few perks," Usa said   
as she watched a computerized search of a schematic of the palace   
commence. "I can access certain portions of Daddy's computer network   
that are off-limits to everybody else. This is his 'people-finder'   
program. If Hotaru's in the palace or on the grounds, it'll pinpoint   
her."  
  
"Results negative," the computer replied neutrally. Usa and   
Jun-Jun exchanged worried looks.  
  
"Where could she be?" Jun-Jun asked.  
  
"I don't know, but I've got to find her!" Usa said, looking   
around as if for a direction to start searching.  
  
"Can we help?" Jun-Jun asked.  
  
"Why?" Usa asked suspiciously.  
  
"Because we're your senshi and that's our mission," Jun-Jun   
answered. Then she shifted uncomfortably. "And - - well, we kind of   
like Hotaru, too. We haven't known her as long as you have, but - -   
she's nice. And we want to help her."  
  
Usa stared at her for a few uncomfortable moments. Then she   
softened.  
  
"OK," the girl nodded quickly. "I guess five can cover more   
ground than one. But we can't let Mom and Dad find out about this."  
  
"Usa, they're not going to do anything to her," Jun-Jun said.   
"The King and Queen are way nicer than you think."  
  
"Well I'm not taking the chance." They returned to where the   
other three were eating. "Hotaru's gone. We've got to go find her   
- - like now."  
  
"Palla-Palla hopes the bad lady didn't do anything to her,"   
Palla-Palla whimpered.  
  
"So do I," Usa replied with a worried look.  
  
Continued in part 5 


	5. Have You Seen This Girl?

SHADOW OVER CRYSTAL TOKYO,  
Chapter 5: "Have You Seen This Girl?"  
  
By Bill K.  
  
Usa and the Amazoness Senshi walked down the hall of the   
palace, the senshi matching the determined strides of their princess.   
The few people who passed them thought nothing of it, not realizing   
they were headed in the opposite direction of their school room.  
  
"I wish you'd tell the King and Queen," fretted Cere-Cere.  
  
"No way," Usa proclaimed. "They wouldn't understand. And I'm   
not going to risk Hotaru getting punished if I can avoid it."  
  
"You know, I wish you'd get off them," grumbled Ves-Ves.   
"They're not as bad as you always make them out to be. The Queen's   
always played fair with me."  
  
Usa scowled. "All the same, I'm not taking the chance."  
  
"OK, so how do we go look for her without your dad's   
surveillance opticals spotting us?" Jun-Jun asked. Usa stopped dead   
in place, her brow furrowed.   
  
"Palla-Palla could distract them with her puppets and you could   
sneak out," Palla-Palla suggested.  
  
"Oh yeah, that'll work," Ves-Ves said, rolling her eyes.  
  
"Those optical units are everywhere," Cere-Cere said.   
"Sometimes I want to shower with my clothes on. If only matter   
teleportation worked."  
  
"Hey!" Usa shouted, then immediately hunched down   
conspiratorially. "Cere-Cere, you're brilliant!"  
  
"She is?" asked Ves-Ves.  
  
"SHUT UP!" snapped Cere-Cere. "I am?"  
  
"Come on back to my room! I know Daddy doesn't have the   
residence quarters watched!" Perplexed as always by their princess,   
the Amazons followed.  
* * * *  
Endymion leaned over the bed and pressed his lips to his wife's   
mouth. He felt her stir beneath him, slowly at first, but with   
increasing animation. When she realized where she was and who was   
kissing her, she returned the kiss eagerly until the lips gently   
pulled away.  
  
"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty," Endymion whispered.  
  
"Why?" Serenity groaned, burrowing back into her pillow.  
  
"We go through this nearly every morning."  
  
"Well you still haven't given me a good reason."  
  
"How about get up before I spank you," Endymion teased.  
  
"You wouldn't dare spank me," Serenity said, wrinkling her nose   
at him. "I'm Queen," and she clutched her pillow tighter.  
  
At a silent signal from Luna, sitting on the mattress behind   
her, Endymion pulled back. Gently, Luna placed her paw on Serenity's   
bottom.  
  
"OW!" Serenity screeched, jumping up out of bed as Luna   
extended her claws. "Luna! I could have you executed for that, you   
know!"  
  
"You don't frighten me, Your Majesty," Luna smirked. "Just   
remember, I knew you when."  
  
"Come on, get up," Endymion prodded. "Breakfast is ready.   
It's your favorite."  
  
"Pancakes and honey?" Serenity asked.  
  
"With fresh strawberries."  
  
"Oooooh," smiled Serenity. Then she sighed in frustration.   
"All right, I'll get up."  
  
Serenity glided into the room moments later and sat down across   
the table from her husband. She took up her utensils and began   
eating. Diana was in the room as well.  
  
"I understand Hotaru had some trouble last night," Diana said   
in her husky adult voice. The full grown cat was perched up on a   
shelf overlooking the table.  
  
"Yes, the poor girl," Serenity sighed. "She was very   
distraught over something she dreamt last night. Don't let this get   
around, but she thinks she saw Mistress 9 in her room."  
  
"Mistress 9? The woman you and the Princess fought in the   
twentieth century!" gasped Diana.  
  
"So you think it was some psychological illusion?" Endymion   
asked.  
  
"Well, I wasn't sure last night, but I'm sure of it now. I   
mean, what else could it be? I saw Mistress 9 die with my own eyes.   
And what's more, I felt her die. I wasn't sure then what I was   
feeling, but I know now it was her death. She's gone."  
  
"But a fragment of Pharaoh 90 was able to live on in you," Luna   
told her. (a reference to "The Last Moments of Pharaoh 90")  
  
"Ugh. Don't remind me," scowled Serenity. She mulled the idea   
over. "No, I don't think it's the same thing. Unless Ami or Rei can   
give me proof to the contrary, I'm convinced Mistress 9 is dead."  
  
"Well Rei was certainly working late enough," Luna commented.   
"She was practically keeping cat's hours. And I noticed Ami rose   
quite early." Luna shifted position on the shelf. "How is the   
Princess taking this?"  
  
"Very worried," Endymion answered. "She stayed up all night   
with Hotaru."  
  
"Oh, that's so like her!" sighed Diana.  
  
"Yes," Serenity smiled warmly. "Knowing Usa has such a giving,   
caring nature more than makes up for the fact that she'd such a   
little brat."  
  
"Well?" Luna said disdainfully. "Whose fault is that? You   
raised her."  
  
"Oh, let me write that down," Serenity said, fishing for an LCD   
pad and a stylus. "I want to remember to say that the next time I   
hear you complaining about Diana."  
  
Luna only returned a withering glare while Diana smothered her   
giggles.  
* * * *  
When they reached Usa's room, Usa immediately transformed into   
Sailor Moon and asked them to transform as well.  
  
"OK, what's up?" Sailor Vesta asked.  
  
"Well," Sailor Moon began, "in the old days, Mama and the old   
senshi were able to teleport."  
  
"Really?" Sailor Ceres asked. "You think we can?"  
  
"Worth a shot," Sailor Moon shrugged.  
  
"Why doesn't that inspire me with confidence?" Sailor Juno   
asked.  
  
"'cause you worry too much," snorted Vesta. "What do we do?"  
  
"Well, let's see. If I remember it right . . ."  
  
"If you remember it right?! We're talking matter teleportation   
here!" Juno gasped.  
  
"I know what I'm doing!" Sailor Moon growled. "We have to join   
hands in a circle, then think of a location and concentrate on going   
there."  
  
"OK, but let's try just a short jump, huh?" Juno advised. "How   
about the fountain in Promenade Square?"  
  
"Works for me," Sailor Moon nodded. The five senshi joined   
hands, bowed their heads and closed their eyes. Sailor Moon called   
out "Sailor Teleport!" The jewels on their tiaras began to glow.  
  
But nothing happened.  
  
"Pallas!" yelled Juno, looking up and seeing the senshi's eyes   
wandering around the room.  
  
"What?" whined Pallas.  
  
"Concentrate on the fountain!"  
  
"But Pallas doesn't want to go there," the senshi pouted.  
  
"Pallas," Sailor Moon said gravely, "this is important. We   
have to find Hotaru."  
  
"All right," the girl said in a small voice.  
  
Once more the five senshi joined hands and concentrated. Once   
more "Sailor Teleport" rang out through the room. Once more the   
jewels on their tiaras began to glow. The air molecules in the room   
began to whip around them. Their hair blew up to the ceiling. A   
thin cover of dust pulled up into the whirlwind. When it died away,   
they were gone.  
  
"Oh, yeah," scowled Ceres, sitting hip deep in the water of the   
fountain on Promenade Square. "This is a GREAT way to travel."  
  
"OK, our aim is off!" Sailor Moon howled, her hair and costume   
drenched. "It was our first time!"  
  
"That - was - GEAR!" exclaimed Vesta. The fact that she was on   
all fours in water didn't dampen her enthusiasm. Echoing her joy,   
Pallas began splashing the water and cackling happily.  
  
"Um," Juno ventured, flinging water from her and noticing the   
curious stares of people on the promenade, "maybe we better get   
going?"  
  
"Right!" Sailor Moon said. She started to climb out of the   
fountain, but slipped and fell on her face, amid the laughter of her   
senshi. "Yeah, yeah, ha-ha-ha. Come on!"  
  
"Which way?" Juno asked pointedly. Sailor Moon drew a blank   
expression. "Didn't think that far ahead, did you?" Sailor Moon   
glared. "Fortunately I snagged this before we left," and she pulled   
a scarf out from under her fuku.  
  
"That's the scarf Hotaru gave me!" Sailor Moon gasped.  
  
"Good, then I was right," Juno smirked. "Vesta, think you can   
track the scent on this?"  
  
"Maybe not in this form," nodded Vesta. "Fauna assimilation -   
bloodhound!" Nothing on Vesta changed except her expression - - she   
seemed more aware of the scents and sounds around her. Taking the   
scarf from Juno, she began sniffing it. "The only scent I get off of   
this is the Princess - - and you. Wait! There is a third one here!   
It's got to be Hotaru!"  
  
Vesta turned her head and began sniffing the air curiously.   
Finally her head locked into a direction and she sniffed a few more   
times.   
  
"This way, gang!" and Vesta took off running for the west, the   
others in hot pursuit.  
* * * *  
Makoto turned over in bed and glanced at the chronometer. It   
said 9:45 a.m.   
  
"Man!" Makoto gasped, flinging her lanky body out of the bed.   
"Must have forgot to set the alarm!" Working quickly, she fluffed   
the pillow and straightened the sheets, still in her nightgown.   
There was a robotic feature on her bunk that would make the bed for   
her, but Makoto preferred to do it herself.  
  
Racing into the bathroom, tripping and stumbling as she went,   
Makoto jumped into the shower. Ten minutes later, she emerged - -   
making sure she wiped down the shower before dressing to prevent   
water spots on the glass or tile.  
  
"Damn!" cursed Makoto, glancing at the chronometer and seeing   
she wasn't gaining any time. "I'm not going to have time to make   
breakfast. That means I have to eat in the dining hall. Ugh!"  
  
Even though she was running late, Makoto couldn't help stopping   
to pick up some scraps of cloth that had missed the waste recycler   
and were on the floor. Noticing the stray threads that lingered, she   
wanted to get a broom and sweep, but forced herself away. As she   
slipped into her form-hugging white and green body suit, the woman   
noticed her computer screen telling her she had a message waiting.  
  
"Computer," she said, "play waiting message."  
  
"To Makoto Kino," the computer replied, "Head training advisor   
of the Sailor Senshi. Students Cere-Cere, Jun-Jun, Palla-Palla and   
Ves-Ves absent from this day's classes. All attempts to contact   
subjects listed failed. Automatic advisory dispatched at 0930 hours   
by virtual educational computer 6938. End of message."  
  
Makoto sighed. "Now what?"  
  
Slipping on her boots, Makoto walked out the door and headed   
straight for the adjoining quarters the Amazoness Senshi resided in.   
She pressed the chime on the door.  
  
"These quarters are currently unoccupied," the computer told   
her. "Would you like to leave a message?"  
  
Scowling, Makoto turned and moved to a computer terminal   
station in the hall.  
  
"This is Makoto Kino, initiating a security one protocol   
bypass," she told the computer.  
  
"Stand by for fingerprint and retinal scan," the computer   
replied. Makoto pressed her thumb on a designated spot on the   
screen. A laser struck her eye. "Identity confirmed. Initiating   
bypass."  
  
"Direct link with palace surveillance system," Makoto   
requested. "Display current location of Jun-Jun, Palla-Palla,   
Cere-Cere and Ves-Ves."  
  
"One moment please. No current record of listed individuals in   
any permitted surveillance area."  
  
"Last recorded sighting."  
  
"One moment please." After a moment, video of the four amazons   
and Usa headed for her quarters began to play. Makoto grinned.  
  
"Should have thought of that," chuckled Makoto. "Looks like   
Usa's got something cooking again." She headed for Usa's suite.   
"It's nice to see she's finally beginning to warm up to them. Still,   
that's no excuse for making them miss school."  
  
Makoto pressed on the chime to Usa's quarters.  
  
"These quarters are currently unoccupied. Would you like to   
leave a message?"  
  
"What?" Makoto gasped. "But that can't be!"  
  
Endymion noticed the message flash on the computer. "Computer,   
play incoming message."  
  
"To King Endymion and Queen Serenity," the computer replied,   
"listed as parents of Princess Usagi Chiba and guardians of Hotaru   
Tomoe. Students Princess Usagi Chiba and Hotaru Tomoe absent from   
this day's classes. All attempts to contact subjects listed failed.   
Automatic advisory dispatched at 0930 hours by virtual educational   
computer 6938. End of message."  
  
"Now what is she up to?" groaned Serenity.  
  
"Perhaps she just overslept," suggested Luna. "After all, she   
does resemble her mother in quite a few ways."  
  
"Don't you have someplace you have to be?" Serenity glared.  
  
"Not at the moment," Luna smirked.  
  
"Maybe she's still staying with Hotaru," Endymion suggested.   
"Computer, open communication link with Hotaru Tomoe's quarters."  
  
"Unable to establish link," the computer replied. "Hotaru   
Tomoe's quarters currently unoccupied."  
  
"Hmm," Endymion scowled. "Computer . . ." he began, but was   
interrupted by the door chime. "Enter."  
  
"Serenity, Endymion, I'm glad I caught you!" Makoto said   
hurriedly. "Usa and the Amazons went into Usa's quarters, but   
there's no record of them coming out - - and now the computer says   
they're not there!"  
  
Instantly Serenity was out of her seat. She flew past Makoto   
and down the hall, Luna and Diana at her heels. Makoto looked to   
Endymion.  
  
"Go with her," he advised. "I'll search from here." Makoto   
nodded and ran off.  
  
Serenity reached the door to Usa's suite and pressed the   
override stud on the door. The stud, geared to open only for   
Serenity or Endymion or in case of an override code from one of the   
four inner senshi of old, read Serenity's fingerprint and the door   
slid open.  
  
Inside Serenity, Diana and Luna found Usa's furnishings strewn   
haphazardly around the room.  
  
"Princess!" gasped Diana.  
  
"Oh my," Serenity gasped. "What could have happened here?"  
  
"Look at the circular pattern, Your Majesty," Luna observed.   
"It suggests some kind of transport energy field."  
  
"But who, Luna?" Serenity asked. "Who has my baby?"  
  
continued in part 6 


	6. The Searchers

SHADOW OVER CRYSTAL TOKYO,  
Chapter 6: "The Searchers"  
  
By Bill K.  
  
"Endymion!" Serenity cried, racing into the room. "Usa's gone!   
Someone may have taken her!" Luna and Makoto were right behind her,   
looking concerned.  
  
"No one took her," Endymion said. He pointed to the computer   
screen in front of him.  
  
Serenity looked at a recording of the fountain on Promenade   
Square. Suddenly a swirl of wind and dust surrounded the fountain,   
to the surprise of passers by. When it dissipated, she saw Sailor   
Moon and her senshi sitting in the fountain's basin, drenched.  
  
"I guess their aim was a little off," chuckled Makoto.  
  
"That girl is going to be the death of me," Serenity groaned,   
her hand on her forehead.  
  
"Do you mean to say she and the senshi teleported from her   
bedroom?" Luna sputtered. "Whatever for?"  
  
"Remember Hotaru's missing, too?" Endymion reminded them.   
"Computer, run file 062996-462, time frame 0721 to 0724."  
  
The picture changed to the front entrance of the palace.   
Hotaru emerged, a backpack on her shoulder. She looked both ways,   
then headed west.  
  
"Where's she going?" Serenity asked. She glanced at the   
chronometer mark on the screen. "That's seven this morning!"  
  
"I don't know," Endymion said. "It's possible she's running   
away. And since she's not used to living in this surveillance heavy   
age, she probably didn't think she'd be observed."  
  
"But Usa and the Amazons do know," Makoto nodded, "so they went   
after her in a way that wouldn't be observed. Gotta hand it to her."  
  
"Oh yes," grumbled Serenity. "After all, she couldn't come to   
me. I'm her mother, so naturally I'm the last person in the world   
she can trust." Endymion caught her hand and squeezed it.  
  
"But what would make Hotaru run away?" Luna asked. "Did last   
night scare her that much?"  
  
"Or maybe something else happened," Serenity said. "Endymion,   
we have to find her!"  
  
"I've got the computer searching the records of my optical   
units. And Usa and the girls are looking for her. There's no need   
to panic yet."  
  
"But Endymion . . .!"  
  
"Dear, she's Sailor Moon now. She has to learn to think on her   
feet and trust her judgment and her senshi. This seems like an   
excellent opportunity to do that. No one seems to be in any   
immediate danger if, as you say, Mistress 9 can't be running around.   
Let's give her the chance."  
  
Serenity sighed loudly. She folded her arms over her chest and   
looked down.  
  
"All right," she said forlornly.  
* * * *  
Coming out of a briefing on Hotaru's situation, given to the   
inner senshi by Endymion, Makoto noticed Minako steaming down the   
hall at a brisk pace. By now very familiar with her friend's moods,   
due to their thousand-year association, Makoto followed her at a   
discreet distance. The trail led to the palace aero-pad. There she   
found Minako doing pre-flight checks on one of the small magno-dyne   
fueled scout ships.  
  
"Going out?" Makoto asked. Minako jumped slightly.  
  
"Either you're getting sneakier in your old age or I'm going   
deaf," Minako scowled. "The way you thunder around, you never would   
have snuck up on me in the old days."  
  
"Unless you had a chocolate bar in your mouth," grinned Makoto.  
  
"Drugged states do not count," Minako grinned back.  
  
"So what's up? You gonna follow them?"  
  
"Of course! Those are my girls out there!"  
  
"Would you listen to yourself," Makoto chuckled. "This is a   
fine time for your maternal instincts to kick in."  
  
"Snicker if you wish," Minako sniffed imperiously. "I like   
those four. They've got a lot of potential. And they grow on you.   
And," and Minako looked away in embarrassment, "I want to be there   
when they realize that potential - - and I want them to be there,   
too." She glanced back, a pretend wicked look on her face. "And   
what am I doing wasting my time explaining this to you, anyway?   
Doesn't an old lady like you have something to knit?"  
  
"No, I've got something more important to do," Makoto said   
wryly. "I'm flying with you." Minako stared questioningly at her   
longtime friend. "You're not the only one that cares about those   
four - - or the Princess - - or Hotaru for that matter. Besides,   
with me flying, you'll be free to monitor the optical feeds from   
Endymion's network."  
  
"Why are you flying?" Minako bristled. "What's wrong with my   
flying?"  
  
"Dear, we don't have THAT long," Makoto said, guiding Minako   
gently into the ship.  
* * * *  
"Hi."  
  
Hotaru turned to the sound of the voice with alarm. She'd been   
so wrapped up in her own troubles that she hadn't heard the magnetic  
wave car approach. A man leaned out of the pilot's side of the control  
compartment.  
  
"You having some trouble?" he asked.  
  
"No," Hotaru said too quickly.  
  
"It just seems like an odd place for a lone girl to be," the man  
replied.   
  
Hotaru looked at him. He seemed harmless - - about thirty years  
old, with average looks and thick black hair. He could have been a   
computer programmer or an accountant - - assuming they still had such   
things in the thirtieth century. He had a sympathetic look to him and  
seemed only to want to help if she was in trouble.  
  
"I'm just," Hotaru said, editing as she spoke, "traveling - - to  
my sister's." She didn't want to reveal that she was a runaway, afraid  
that he might turn her in. She also remembered Haruka's many   
admonitions about being wary of strangers.  
  
"She lets a slight little thing like you walk there?" the man  
asked her suspiciously. "You'll pardon my saying this, but you don't   
look like you could walk a kilometer, let alone this far. It's got to  
be about three kilometers back to Crystal Tokyo and probably two or   
three to the next town. I'd hate for you to overtax yourself."  
  
"I'll be fine."  
  
"I can give you a lift if you'd like."  
  
"No," Hotaru said and turned to move on. She was growing more and  
more uncomfortable with the situation. She didn't know this man and  
didn't know his intentions - - and she didn't know when Mistress 9 might  
rise up again. She certainly didn't want to be around anyone if that  
happened.  
  
"Are you traveling to your sister's," the man asked, "or away  
from something?"  
  
Hotaru's shoulders slumped. "No, really . . ." she began.  
  
"You don't have to get into specifics if you'd like," the man  
said. His vehicle shut down and he climbed out. "It's just - - is   
running away the only answer?"  
  
Hotaru agonized over what to say next.  
  
"Yes," she said softly.  
  
"Is it that bad at home?" the man asked, maintaining a neutral  
distance as he leaned against the hood of the vehicle. "I suppose it  
shouldn't, but I'm always surprised to hear about domestic violence and  
abuse in this day and age. The Queen sets such a good example. It's   
just so hard to believe sometimes that some people are like that."  
  
Hotaru desperately wanted to confess why she was running, to warn  
him away. But he wouldn't believe her until it was too late.  
  
"Have you tried talking with someone about it?" he asked.  
  
The girl shook her head.  
  
"No one would understand, right?" he said softly. "Isn't there  
an adult you could go to? Someone you trust, who you could talk this   
out with?"  
  
"You don't understand," sobbed Hotaru.  
  
"I'm sure there's someone . . ."  
  
"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! NO ONE CAN HELP ME!"  
  
And as Hotaru bellowed, a familiar push came from her brain. The  
man who had stopped to help her froze in place. His eyes bulged. His  
speech began to slur and died out. Bereft of support, the man collapsed  
onto the pavement in a heap. He lay there and quivered, staring up at  
Hotaru with wide, uncomprehending eyes.  
  
"I tried to warn you!" Hotaru sobbed, her fists crammed up to her  
mouth. She stared at him for a few seconds, his stare hammering her  
brain with accusation.  
  
Then Hotaru turned and ran. She ran down the road, desperate to  
escape before her burden, Mistress 9, could do any harm to anyone else.  
* * * *  
Serenity looked up from her lonely perch on her chair in her   
lonely quarters and saw Rei standing in the doorway.  
  
"Was I being that loud?" Serenity mumbled, embarrassed that Rei  
had sensed her distress again.  
  
"You know I always have a knack for knowing when you're down in  
the dumps," Rei said softly. She slipped into the room and sat down   
next to her sovereign. "Are you worried about Hotaru or about Usa?"  
  
"Both," Serenity replied miserably. "What if it's true? What if   
Mistress 9 is back? Usa can't handle her, even with the Amazons!"  
  
"I thought you said you were sure Mistress 9 was dead," Rei asked.  
  
"Oh, and I've never been wrong before!" Serenity cried.  
  
"Well, almost never," Rei grinned warmly. "OK, suppose she is   
back? How do you know Usa won't give Mistress 9 a royal butt-kicking?   
After everything she's already accomplished?"  
  
"I know, I know. Part of me agrees with you. I think Usa could   
handle Mistress 9 easier than I did. Then there's the part that   
remembers how bad I felt when she skinned her knee or cut her finger, or   
heaven help me, the time she fell from the balcony and broke her leg.   
And I don't want to go through that again, Rei! I don't want anything   
to happen to my baby!" Serenity sniffed. "And then there's what poor   
Hotaru would have to go through if it is Mistress 9 again. I certainly   
don't want that."  
  
"You just like to worry," Rei teased.   
  
"No I don't!" Serenity replied with her familiar petulance. "I   
like candy and sleeping and my garden and hugging my husband and my   
daughter. I hate worrying."  
  
"Then why do it?" Rei smiled.  
  
Serenity glared at her.  
  
"You do that on purpose, don't you," Serenity pouted.  
  
"For a thousand years," Rei chuckled, touching Serenity's arm.   
"That pouty look you get is one of the things I like."  
  
Serenity stuck her tongue out at Rei, eliciting another chuckle.   
Just then Endymion entered. Rei quickly removed her hand from   
Serenity's arm.  
  
"Endymion?" Serenity asked, looking for good news.  
  
"No one's found her yet," Endymion said, nodding to Rei. "The   
girls are still on her trail. And we have another set of eyes on the   
case, too."  
  
"What, did Minako do something stupid like take an air car and   
follow them?" Rei asked. Endymion only smiled. "Why am I not   
surprised."  
* * * *  
Five senshi walked along the road leading out of Crystal Tokyo.   
The curious stares died out as they got further from the city and   
began to reach the undeveloped outer lands. Serenity had steadfastly   
resisted any and all development of those lands, insisting that   
nature be given a place to live as well. Thus the areas outside the   
city were lush and green. Sailor Ceres noticed the untamed quality   
of the area and seemed to liven under its influence.  
  
Sailor Moon, following Sailor Vesta intently, kept up a brisk   
pace as the two traveled the pavement made of wear and weather   
resistant durable crystalline asphalt. The others were beginning to   
fall behind.  
  
"Pallas wants to go home!" whined Sailor Pallas.  
  
"Pallas, we can't," Sailor Moon implored. "We've got to find   
Hotaru!" Pallas didn't respond, but her eyes seemed to grow watery   
and her lower lip got bigger.  
  
"It's too bad none of us can fly," Ceres said, her pace slowing   
so she could take in the scents of the various flora. "We've been   
walking forever, it seems. How far you figure we've gone?"  
  
"Probably about nine kilometers," heaved Juno.  
  
"Nine point two five," Pallas said absently.   
  
"She'd know," Ceres shrugged.  
  
"Well, we could always teleport," Sailor Moon suggested.  
  
"No way!" Juno said adamantly. "Not until we've practiced   
more."  
  
"Too bad we didn't grab an air car when we left," Vesta   
cracked, sniffing the air.  
  
"What good would that do us?" Ceres asked. "None of us are   
licensed to pilot air cars yet."  
  
"So? Just because I'm not licensed doesn't mean I can't   
operate one."  
  
"You?" Juno asked warily. "I think I'd rather teleport."  
  
"Are we there yet?" Pallas whined.  
  
"Hey!" Juno said, her tone sudden and urgent. The other girls  
looked to where she pointed and spotted a parked vehicle up ahead. "You  
suppose he's broken down or something?"  
  
"Maybe he's seen Miss Hotaru," Pallas added.  
  
"Maybe he can give us a lift," moaned Ceres.  
  
The five girls approached the vehicle. As they neared, they all  
saw that the pilot compartment was empty. That was strange enough, but  
it became stranger when Vesta got closer.  
  
"Around here!" Vesta gasped.   
  
The others came at Vesta's summons. Ceres gasped, her hands   
flying up to her mouth. Vesta looked around for potential danger, while  
Sailor Moon knelt down next to the man laying on the road. She lifted  
his head up onto her lap and wiped his brow. The man stared up at her  
with helpless fear.  
  
"What happened, sir?" Sailor Moon asked. "Were you in an   
accident?"  
  
"Vehicle's not damaged," Ceres noted.  
  
"No other evidence of what he might have been in an accident   
with," Vesta added.  
  
"Is the man going to be all right?" Pallas asked.  
  
"Princess," Juno said, leaning in close. "Look at his mouth - -   
the way it's distorted. He's probably had some sort of seizure."  
  
"Can you help him, Princess?" Pallas asked.  
  
"I can try," and Sailor Moon summoned the Crescent Moon Wand.   
  
She took a steadying breath. Then she waved the wand in a   
circular pattern over the prostrate man and said "Moon Healing   
Escalation!" A shower of pink dust particles began to flow from the   
wand. It covered the man's chest and head, each particle sparkling as   
it was absorbed into his skin. In seconds, his breathing began to grow   
stronger. His muscle contortions relaxed and he grew calm. The man   
uttered a contented sigh and the word "refresh" as he sagged in Sailor   
Moon's lap. Once they were sure he was all right, the Amazoness senshi   
helped him sit up.  
  
"The Princess is really good at making people all better, isn't   
she?" Pallas beamed.  
  
"You're the Princess?" gasped the man.  
  
"Uh huh," Sailor Moon nodded shyly. "Who are you?"  
  
"Motoki Jinsu," the man replied, still amazed that the Princess of   
Crystal Tokyo had saved him.  
  
"What happened?" Juno inquired.  
  
"I stopped to try to help this young girl. She was walking down   
the road. She seemed like a runaway."  
  
"Was she about a meter and a half high?" Sailor Moon asked   
quickly, "with shoulder-length black hair?"  
  
"And real sad-looking eyes?" added Ceres.  
  
"Yes, that was her. Do you know her? Is she in trouble?"  
  
"I hope not," Sailor Moon said, almost sobbing. She bit her lip   
as her senshi looked on in sympathy.  
  
continued in part 7 


	7. Collateral Damage

A SHADOW OVER CRYSTAL TOKYO,  
Chapter 7: "Collateral Damage"  
  
By Bill K.   
  
Hotaru sat down under a large shade tree on the grassy bank   
next to the road. She didn't know where the road led, save that it   
led west. She didn't really know where she was headed, save that she   
was headed away from Crystal Tokyo and the possible harm she could do   
her friends and all those innocent people. Opening her backpack, she   
retrieved a bottle of water and took a drink. Crystal Tokyo was   
bigger than she imagined and it had taken her longer to get past the   
city limits than she had estimated. And she had never done that much   
walking before in her life. But she had no other choice. She   
purposefully avoided all commercial and private transportation, for   
fear of being around other humans.  
  
Her hand absently rubbed her thighs. However, she knew she   
couldn't weaken. She didn't dare.  
  
Tears began to sprout and dribble down her cheeks. Her future   
was a yawning chasm of unknown and it frankly scared her. Despite   
her lonely youth, she'd never truly been on her own. Her father had   
always been there, and after him Haruka and Michiru. No matter what   
happened, she'd always known that she could fall back on them. Now   
she had no one but herself. She'd have to find some isolated place   
by herself. She'd have to find shelter; she'd have to find food and   
water; she'd have to guard and provide for herself all by herself.  
  
The tears came harder and Hotaru wiped them away with the heel   
of her hand. It wasn't fair. She'd just begun to enjoy life. She'd   
just begun to renew her friendship with Usa and to make new friends   
with the Amazons and the other youths she'd met in the palace and in   
Crystal Tokyo. Sure, she missed Haruka, Michiru and Setsuna   
terribly. Sure, this complex new world seemed to conspire on a daily   
basis to make her feel like a moron. Sure, she still didn't feel   
comfortable or accepted - - except by Usa, the King and Queen, and   
the Royal Senshi. But she hadn't even had the chance to embrace this   
new life before it was ripped from her.  
  
- - by 'her'.  
  
Dirt flew up and struck Hotaru in the face. Startled, she   
wiped her eyes until she could see and looked. About three feet   
ahead of her was a small clump of ground that had been torn loose - -   
and beyond that a small hole where it had been blown from. Hotaru   
stared at it, unable to comprehend how it happened. No one else was   
around.  
  
"Is it you?" Hotaru asked fearfully. No one answered and the   
silence seemed to mock her. Hotaru clamped her hands to her head.   
"Leave me alone! Why can't you leave me alone?!"  
  
As her head went between her knees, Hotaru's back could be seen   
shuddering from the choking sobs that wracked her body. Oblivious to   
her plight, a honey bee landed on a nearby clover.  
* * * *  
"Scout craft 12, come in," the panel communicator squawked.  
  
"Uh oh, busted," Sailor Venus said. Sailor Jupiter rolled her  
eyes and screwed her mouth into a grin. "Um, this is Scout craft 12.   
Having some interference with transmission. Possible sunspot activity.   
Please repeat."  
  
"Oh, give me that!" they heard Serenity say over the channel.   
"Venus, knock it off! Have you found them yet?"  
  
"How'd you ever get the name Serenity?" Venus clucked. Jupiter  
reached over and switched the com-link to her side of the board.  
  
"We're following the girls at a discreet distance, Serenity,"   
Jupiter reported. "Still no sign of Hotaru."  
  
"Ohhh," they heard her moan.  
  
"Relax, hon'," Jupiter said. "We'll find them. And don't forget   
that Hotaru can be a handful for any enemy. She can take care of   
herself if she runs into trouble."  
  
"Yeah, that's why she ran away at the first sign of something she   
couldn't handle," commented Venus. Jupiter made a face at her.  
  
"Venus is right, Jupiter," Serenity said. "Hotaru's in such an   
emotional state that she needs protecting. You have to find her!"  
  
"We will, we will," Jupiter replied. "Any information you or   
Endymion can come up with would be greatly appreciated, though."  
  
"Endymion's already working with satallite links or something   
technical like that to try to spot her. I've tried listening to the   
life force for the entire area beyond the city, but it's a lot of   
voices to sift through."  
  
"Keep trying, Serenity," Venus called out.  
  
"Is Usa all right?"  
  
"Yes, 'Mama', she's fine," teased Jupiter.   
  
"I didn't know an umbilical cord could stretch that far, though,"   
jabbed Venus. Jupiter stared at her in shock.  
  
"Ohh!" gasped Serenity indignantly. "Palace out!"  
  
Jupiter stared at Venus and shook her head.  
  
"Hey," Venus shrugged, "cutting edge humor is always   
controversial."  
* * * *  
"Pallas is tired!" Pallas moaned.  
  
"We can't rest yet," Sailor Moon prodded. "Hotaru may be close!   
Just a little further?"  
  
With sad puppy-dog eyes, Sailor Pallas nodded.  
  
"How you doing, Vesta?" Sailor Moon asked.  
  
"I've still got the scent. It's just she's got a head start on   
us," Vesta told her. "Unless we walk faster than she does, we could   
be at this a while."  
  
"Princess?" Pallas said in a small voice.  
  
Sailor Moon's temper began to well up. She struggled as best   
she could to push it down.  
  
"What, Pallas?" Sailor Moon asked curtly, turning back to the   
girl. To her surprise, Pallas had stopped several paces back and was   
staring off into space.  
  
"Pallas, honey, what is it?" Ceres asked, moving back to her   
sister Amazon's side.  
  
"Pallas heard a thought," Pallas said meekly. "It was Miss   
Hotaru."  
  
"Is she close?" asked Sailor Moon.  
  
"Pallas thinks so. But Princess, Miss Hotaru's thinking about   
the bad lady. She's so frightened. Pallas thinks she's in trouble."  
  
"Damn it!" spat Vesta. "Fauna assimilation - - cheetah!"   
Vesta's form again made no visible change, but suddenly Vesta dashed   
off at an impossible speed.  
  
"Vesta!" Juno called after her. Just then Sailor Moon whizzed   
past her, trying to keep Vesta in sight. Juno exhaled in   
frustration. "Ceres, stay with Pallas! The two of you try to catch   
up with us!" And off she went after Sailor Moon.  
* * * *  
"Don't get too close," warned Minako. She studied the optical   
feed on the monitor, watching Sailor Moon and the senshi from high   
above. Since leaving the city, they were depending on the scout   
ship's long range optical sensors for visuals.  
  
"I know," Makoto replied. "You get a sighting on Hotaru yet?"  
  
"No. She may not be in sensor range yet."  
  
"Or she didn't come this way and they're chasing their tails   
down there."  
  
"The city's optical files had her headed west," Minako argued.  
  
"And she couldn't have gone a different direction once she left   
the city?"   
  
"They don't think so, and they've been tracking her without the   
aid of any optical help. You gotta trust 'em, Makoto."  
  
"Yeah, if you trust them so much, why are we up here watching   
over them?"  
  
"Because," Minako alibied with a guilty smile, "I want to see   
how well they do." Makoto gave her a cynical look.  
  
Minako continued to scan ahead. Moments later she straightened   
up in her seat.  
  
"I've got visual on Hotaru!" Minako reported.  
  
"What's she doing?"  
  
"Just sitting under a tree. I think she's crying."  
  
"Poor kid. I wish she'd catch a break just once. Any sign of   
Mistress 9?"  
  
"There's a fair size divot near her. Nothing else I can see.   
You suppose it's connected?" Makoto shrugged back at her. "Well, we   
could land and ask her."  
  
"Think she'd see the ship and bolt?" Makoto asked.  
  
"I don't know." Then Minako locked onto her monitor. "Vesta   
just took off! Something must be up! I don't see anything, though!"  
  
"You want to go in?"  
  
"Let's," Minako grimaced, "hold off just a little longer. But   
stay sharp."  
* * * *  
Hotaru pulled her head from her knees. Resolve swelled through   
her thin frame. If she was doomed, doomed to live that life again,   
it was now even more imperative that she get away from humanity. If   
she could just hold it in long enough for her to get away.  
  
The rustle of boots against pavement caught her attention.   
Turning, Hotaru saw someone approaching her down the road at an   
impossible speed. Defensively she took a step back as the figure   
neared her.  
  
"Sailor Vesta?" Hotaru asked. She couldn't quite believe a   
human could move that fast.  
  
"W-Where . . . is she?" panted Vesta, searching the area for   
danger as her chest heaved and she wiped perspiration.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"That 'Mistress' woman!"  
  
Hotaru's heart sank. "H-How do you know about that?"  
  
"Pallas," the winded senshi answered. "She 'heard' you   
thinking . . . about it." Vesta seemed confused. "Did she get away?   
Pallas thought you were in trouble."  
  
"I wish you hadn't concerned yourself," Hotaru murmured. "You   
really shouldn't be here. It's very dangerous for you. Are the   
others with you?"  
  
"Yeah! The Princess is frantic, naturally! So where'd she   
go?"  
  
Hotaru looked away in shame. "She hasn't emerged - - yet. So   
far I've managed to keep her contained. That's why I was leaving.   
Sailor Vesta, could you please just take Usa back to the city - -   
tell her to forget me? It's best that no one is around when she   
finally breaks free. Please don't try to stop me. Don't let her   
stop me!"  
  
"You know the Princess isn't wired like that," Vesta said.  
  
"I don't want to risk Mistress 9 seeing her! She almost killed   
Usa the last time! She almost destroyed everything! You can't let   
Usa near me! You're supposed to protect her and I'm too much of a   
risk!"  
  
"So we'll fight her."  
  
"No! You can't kill Mistress 9! I thought I was free of her,   
but I wasn't! She's not human! She can't die!"  
  
"Hotaru," Vesta said curtly, gripping the slight girl by her   
upper arms. "Let us help you!"  
  
"Let me go!" Hotaru wailed.  
  
It was out before she could pull it back. The shaft of mental   
energy stabbed out and pierced Vesta between the eyes. All strength   
drained from the girl's body. She tried to speak, but her mouth   
wouldn't work. Bereft of support, Vesta collapsed onto the ground.   
She stared up at Hotaru, frightened and helpless, her mouth   
misshapen, her fingers gnarled into claws and her eyes wide.  
  
Hotaru's hands went to her mouth. "I'm sorry!" she gasped,   
tears pouring down her face. "It's - - it's her! I can't control   
it!"  
  
Her shoulders slumped. Her head bowed. Hotaru's hand extended   
to her side and her henshin stick appeared in her hand.  
  
And, to Vesta's amazement, a woman materialized behind Hotaru.   
She resembled Hotaru, but was older, taller, more curvy. The woman,   
sheathed in a blue-black sleeveless floor-length dress, possessed a   
malevolent beauty. She was crowned with a long veil of jet-black   
hair that wafted behind her like serpents. Her eyes were cold and   
greedy. Her smile was malicious. She didn't move. She just stared   
daggers into the back of Hotaru's head.  
  
"Saturn Crystal Power Make Up," Hotaru whispered.  
  
Vesta watched the transformation take hold. In Hotaru's place,   
Sailor Saturn stood wearing the same glum mask of defeat. Her glaive   
turned in her hand so that the blade faced her.  
  
"I'm sorry, Usa," Saturn whispered. "You should have let me   
die the first time I tried. I'm - - just too dangerous."  
  
"NNGGH!" Vesta cried, trying to speak, trying to warn Saturn of   
what was behind her, trying to stop what Saturn planned to do. But   
her body just wouldn't work.  
  
"Thank you for being my friend," Saturn said. "I'm sorry for   
all of this. Tell Usa - - tell her I'm sorry."  
  
And as the blade of the glaive stood poised to cut across a   
tender throat, Mistress 9 stood motionless behind Saturn. Her eyes   
danced with glee.  
  
Continued in part 8 


	8. Shadow Puppets On The Wall

A SHADOW OVER CRYSTAL TOKYO  
Chapter 8: "Shadow Puppets on the Wall"  
  
By Bill K.  
  
"What's going on?" Makoto asked, concentrating on keeping the   
scout craft hovering and level.  
  
"Vesta's talking to Hotaru," Minako said, studying the visual   
sensor monitor. "Hotaru seems pretty upset. Wish we had audio on   
this thing."  
  
"Any sign of Mistress 9?"  
  
"Not that I can see. I'm not getting any environmental   
dist. . . wait a minute! Electromagnetic wave energy just shot up!"  
  
"What would cause that?" Makoto asked.  
  
"Do I look like Ami?" Minako groused, then turned back to the   
monitor. "DAMN!"  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
"Something happened! Vesta's flat on her back! Now Hotaru's   
changing into Sailor Saturn! Still no sign of any threat!"  
  
"Maybe we better get down there?" Makoto suggested anxiously.  
  
Minako agonized over the choice between protecting her student   
and risking over-protecting her. The tension in the craft mounted as   
Makoto waited for a consensus.  
  
"Yeah! Go!" Minako barked at last. Makoto instantly nosed the   
craft down. "Man, now I know what Artemis went through."  
  
The craft landed in a field about a hundred yards away. It   
barely touched down before Sailor Venus had the hatch opened and was   
out. She saw Vesta on the ground, still struggling to regain control   
of her body. She saw Saturn, the glaive at her side as she stared in   
surprise at the scout craft. And behind her stood Mistress 9 in all   
her malevolent audacity.  
  
"Saturn, behind you!" shrieked Venus.  
  
Perplexed, Sailor Saturn turned and looked - - and promptly   
fell back in shock and fright. The malicious maiden's eyes flared   
with glee, drinking in Saturn's fear. She said nothing, content to   
reach for Saturn, as if to claim her.  
  
"Lovely Angel Projection!" Venus roared.  
  
The precision energy burst exploded from the senshi and shot   
harmlessly over Saturn's left shoulder. It tore through Mistress 9,   
obliterating two limbs from the tree behind her. But the energy   
passed harmlessly through Mistress 9. Unfazed, she laughed   
noiselessly at Venus, then returned her attention to Saturn.  
  
"NO!" howled Saturn. "I WON'T GO BACK! I WON'T LET YOU TAKE   
ME AGAIN!"  
  
Undaunted, Mistress 9 continued to reach for Saturn, even as   
the senshi gave ground. Overwhelmed by her fear, Saturn swung her   
glaive at Mistress 9, the blade cleaving the woman about chest high.   
Again, there was no effect and the specter kept coming. Saturn swung   
her glaive again and again, uselessly.  
  
"Man!" gasped Sailor Jupiter, joining Venus outside the scout   
ship. "It is her! Jupiter Electromagnetic Pulse!"  
  
A dark pulse of energy lanced out from Jupiter and shot across   
the distance between her and her target in seconds. The black energy   
leaped to Mistress 9 and the evil apparition seized up. Mistress 9   
began writhing as the energy crackled around her, her form shimmering   
and becoming transparent.  
  
"AAAAAGH!" shrieked Saturn. Clutching her head, she crumpled   
to her knees.  
  
"Saturn!" wailed a familiar voice. Venus and Jupiter turned to   
the sound and spotted Sailor Moon running up, with Juno hot on her   
heels.  
  
Experience taught both senshi to keep their opponent in sight.   
As such, Venus and Jupiter saw Mistress 9 regroup and move once more   
on Saturn. Jupiter moved to project another pulse, but Venus grabbed   
her arm.  
  
"Another pulse might be more than Saturn can take," Venus   
warned her.  
  
"I have to do something!" Jupiter hissed. "So far it's the   
only thing that's stopped her!"  
  
"Maybe it's the electricity," Venus suggested. "Try another   
attack."  
  
Jupiter stared in doubt for just a beat, then dropped her hand   
to her side. "Jupiter! Oak Evolution!"  
  
Powerful electrical bursts began to explode around Mistress 9.   
The horror recoiled from them, the electricity clearly an anathema to   
her. With Mistress 9 temporarily held at bay, Sailor Moon skidded up   
to Saturn.  
  
"Sailor Moon," groaned Saturn as the girl clutched her   
protectively. "Get away! I don't want you to get hurt by her!"  
  
"Don't worry about me," Sailor Moon said. "She's not getting   
either of us!"  
  
"There's only one way to stop this," Saturn said. She gripped   
her glaive and brought the blade toward her.  
  
"Saturn, stop!" Sailor Moon hissed. Her hand clamped onto the   
glaive and held it down. "I won't let you take that route! I   
won't!"  
  
"But Usa . . ." Saturn said tearfully. "You don't know what   
it's like!"  
  
"Yes I do!" snapped Sailor Moon. "You're not taking this way   
out! I won't let you!"  
  
Juno knelt down and helped Vesta sit up. "How are you doing?"  
  
"I'm," Vesta gasped out weakly, "I'm getting there."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"I don't know. It's like my brain short-circuited. I couldn't   
make my body work."  
  
Suddenly Vesta flinched, alerting Juno. She looked up and saw   
Mistress 9 lurching through the dissipating electrical bursts.  
  
"Aqua Initiation! Pour Down Rain!" roared Juno. Instantly   
monsoon rains inundated the area.  
  
"Did you teach her that?" Jupiter asked Venus. Venus merely   
cocked her eyebrow and smirked with proud pleasure.  
  
Seeing the monsoon was hampering Mistress 9 but not stopping   
her, Jupiter launched another Oak Evolution attack. The electrical   
bursts, conducted by the monsoon's water, exploded around Mistress 9,   
clearly hurting her. Instantly Saturn clutched her head again.  
  
"Saturn?" gasped Sailor Moon.  
  
"It hurts, Sailor Moon!" cried Saturn. "It hurts!"  
  
"Maybe I can do something," Sailor Moon said and she summoned   
the Crescent Wand. "Maybe I can free you from her for good."  
  
Amid the battle, Ceres and Pallas ran up. Ceres placed herself   
near Vesta and Saturn, ready to help both.  
  
Pallas, though, just stood there, staring at the crackling   
electrical field as if hypnotized by it. The monsoon began to die   
away.  
  
"Juno?" Ceres asked.  
  
"I'm out of juice," Juno panted. "That attack takes a lot out   
of me."  
  
"Maybe I can grab her with the tree's limbs."  
  
"What are you guys attacking?" Pallas asked.  
  
Everyone turned to her, dumb-founded.  
  
"Don't you see her?" Ceres demanded.  
  
"Who?" Pallas asked innocently. Ceres pointed insistently.   
"The bad lady? She's just a picture." Then Pallas smiled sweetly.   
"Pallas will show you." She pointed at Mistress 9, still writhing in   
the grip of the electricity. "Beautiful Incantation!"  
  
Mistress 9 suddenly froze in place, motionless. Then she faded   
from view like a bad dream. Pallas turned back to the others,   
smiling proudly.  
  
Everyone stared at her. No one could comprehend exactly what   
had just happened. Even Venus and Jupiter, who had cut the distance   
between them and the younger senshi, were stunned.  
  
"How did you do that?" Sailor Moon finally asked, her soggy   
pink hair wafting in front of her on the soft breeze.  
  
Pallas shrugged. "It was just a picture. Miss Saturn was   
making it with her mind. Pallas does it sometimes." The girl beamed   
happily. "Pallas makes up wonderful stories with a beautiful   
princess and a handsome prince who rides to her rescue and they fall   
in love and . . ."  
  
Pallas stopped when she noticed everyone was looking at Saturn   
with a mixture of confusion and annoyance. For her part, Saturn   
seemed unable to move her brain past this single indigestible   
thought. Pallas grimaced uncomfortably.  
  
"Did Pallas do something wrong?" she asked.  
  
"She wasn't," Saturn squeaked uncomprehendingly, "real? But I   
thought - - then what attacked Vesta? What attacked the others?   
What's going on?" Desperately she turned to Sailor Moon and clutched   
the pink sailor kerchief around her neck. "Usa, I didn't do this on   
purpose! I don't know what's happening! Please believe me!"  
  
"I do, Hotaru," Sailor Moon smiled reassuringly, even as tears   
welled in her eyes. She closed her hand over Saturn's. "Come on.   
Let's go back to the palace."  
  
"What happening to me, Usa?" Saturn asked vacantly, in shock.   
"If it's not Mistress 9, what is it?"  
  
"We'll ask Aunt Ami," Sailor Moon reassured her. "She'll know   
what to do."  
  
"Yeah," added Sailor Juno encouragingly. "Sensei Ami-sama   
knows just about everything there is to know."  
  
"And Mama can do just about anything," Sailor Moon continued.   
"They'll help you."  
  
The young girls crowded protectively around Saturn and helped   
her to the scout ship. Before heading for it themselves, Venus   
turned surreptitiously to Jupiter.  
  
"What 'others' do you suppose she's talking about?" Venus   
asked.   
  
Jupiter just looked on at the girls sympathetically.  
* * * *  
The aero-pad at the palace was a crowded place. In addition to   
the landing techs, King Endymion and Queen Serenity waited along with   
Ami and Rei. As the ship's hatch opened, Serenity had to be gently   
restrained by Endymion from rushing the craft. When Usa and Hotaru   
emerged, the Princess supporting the vacant girl, Serenity pulled   
free and rushed up. She knelt before Hotaru and clutched the girl by   
the arms.  
  
"Hotaru, are you all right?" she gasped out.  
  
"I don't know," Hotaru responded in a trembling voice. "I'm   
sorry for this, Your Majesty. I was just trying to protect everyone.   
I thought . . . well, I don't know what I thought now."  
  
"I appreciate you thinking of us, Hotaru," Serenity smiled   
sadly. "But you have to remember that senshi work together to solve   
problems. Going off on your own doesn't help anything."  
  
"Yes, Your Majesty," Hotaru said, head bowed.  
  
Serenity guided the girl's chin up, then gently kissed her   
forehead. "You go with Ami now. She's got a few questions to ask   
you." Hotaru nodded and allowed Ami to guide her out of the room.   
Serenity rose and turned to her daughter.  
  
"You know, the same advice could serve you, too," Serenity said   
with a reproachful tone.  
  
"Mom," sighed Usa, "before you say anything else, Hotaru was in   
trouble. I'm a senshi and I'm supposed to help people in trouble and   
I don't always have time to beg you and Daddy for permission first,   
OK?"  
  
"Usa, you don't need my permission to help people," Serenity   
said with practiced patience. "And if you'd told me where you were   
going, you wouldn't have had to sneak out." Usa's cheeks flushed   
slightly. "I was going to say you and your senshi did a good job.   
Now if I may make a request of the great and all-knowing Sailor Moon,   
I'd like you and your senshi to stay close by in case Hotaru needs   
you."  
  
Usa nodded contritely, then nodded for the Amazons to follow   
her. As they left, Usa could be heard muttering, "I swear nobody   
throws guilt like her."  
  
Serenity stared after them, scowling. Her longtime friends   
gathered around her.  
  
"That girl's going to be the death of me," Serenity muttered.  
  
"C'mon, Hon," Makoto said. "You know she loves you. Otherwise   
she wouldn't feel so guilty about displeasing you."  
  
"Yeah, it's like the old saying," Minako chirped. "Only the   
ones you love get hurt."  
  
Rei's eyes narrowed. "Serenity, are you sure there isn't a way   
to banish Minako?" In response, Minako pulled down her eyelid and   
patted her bottom. "Oh, that's mature!"  
  
"I know I am, but what are you?" Minako smirked.  
* * * *  
Waiting outside of the palace office Ami conducted business in,   
oversaw the realm's health needs in and, on rare occasions, also saw   
patients in, Sailor Moon and her senshi sat and waited. They each   
had concern for Hotaru's welfare. However, being young, it didn't   
prevent them from demonstrating their boredom after a while. Pallas   
was the first, fidgeting in her chair like it was red hot.  
  
"Would you sit still!" snapped Vesta.  
  
"Sorry," Pallas squeaked, her lower lip growing.  
  
"She's been in there an awful long time," Ceres said.  
  
"Well, who knows what's wrong with her," Sailor Moon answered.   
"It may not be something you can cure with a hypo-spray. But if   
anyone can help Hotaru, it's Ami-san. She knows everything."  
  
"You're telling me," nodded Juno. "How does somebody get to be   
that smart anyway?"  
  
"Study all the time, I guess," shrugged Sailor Moon, twisting   
her pink hair on her finger. "When I was in the twentieth century, I   
remember Ami-san was always reading something. Back then, she'd   
rather read than go out on dates."  
  
"I guess that means I'll never be as smart as her," Ceres   
mused. "I just can't see giving up dating to read."  
  
"I can't see you reading," needled Vesta.  
  
"Vesta," snorted Ceres, arms folded over her chest, "I'm   
begging you - - curl up and die!"  
  
Juno and Sailor Moon covered their smiles with their hands.  
  
"It's two p.m.," Pallas announced urgently.  
  
"So?" Vesta asked. "What, is 'Barney' on?"  
  
"No, 'Barney' is on at five. It's time for Pallas' special   
class. Can Pallas go, Princess? Pallas doesn't want to make Sensei   
mad at her."  
  
"We can handle it here, can't we?" appealed Juno. "She really   
should go."  
  
"Yeah, sure," Sailor Moon said, smiling timidly. "Thank you   
for your help."  
  
"That's OK, Princess," grinned Pallas happily. "Pallas is glad   
she could help. Miss Hotaru Ma'am is very nice." Pallas scurried   
out the door.  
  
"Just don't get her mad at you," Vesta mused. "She's got a   
wicked mind attack."  
  
"Yeah, what was that like?" Ceres asked. Vesta unconsciously   
rubbed her forehead.  
  
"It was like," Vesta searched her memories, "somebody shot a   
laser beam through my skull. All of a sudden I couldn't do anything.   
All my strength was gone. I couldn't move. I couldn't talk. I   
couldn't get anything to work right. It was as helpless as I've ever   
been." Vesta shuddered involuntarily. "Man, I never want to go   
through that again. I'd rather be dead than helpless like that."  
  
"You know," Sailor Moon thought out loud, "that sounds like   
what was happening to Hotaru. Remember, when Mama was fighting the   
little girl back in the twentieth century?"  
  
"Yeah, now that you mention it," Juno nodded. "Do you suppose   
it's connected?"  
  
"I don't know." Sailor Moon glanced at the door to Ami's inner   
office. Inside Ami and Hotaru were trying to solve the problem - -   
if it could be solved. Was it Mistress 9? Was it something else   
- - something worse? Sailor Moon continued to stare at the door.   
She wanted for all the world to just go in, wave the Crescent Moon   
Wand over Hotaru and save her again, just like she had mere days   
(and centuries) ago.   
  
She just didn't know if it would help. Still she remained   
there. If it took her waiting until the next millennium came and   
went, she would. Though she was the Princess Usagi, first she was   
Sailor Moon and Sailor Moon didn't desert her friends.   
  
Concluded in chapter 9 


	9. And The Truth Shall Set You Free

A SHADOW OVER CRYSTAL TOKYO  
Chapter 9: "And The Truth Shall Set You Free"  
  
By Bill K.  
  
Hotaru sat in a comfortable chair, though she was anything but   
comfortable. Sensory pads were attached to her head and body and   
data from the pads was collected and displayed on virtual monitors   
floating around Ami's head. Glancing at the information, Ami leaned   
forward, her glasses perched on her nose, and smiled sympathetically.  
  
"Please relax, Hotaru," Ami said. "You're not being punished.   
We're just trying to find out what's happening and what we can do to   
help you."  
  
Hotaru nodded cautiously.  
  
"I've reviewed the sensor logs from the scout ship. There's no   
visual evidence of Mistress 9 anywhere; there are only recordings of   
significant electromagnetic energy in the area, which could be   
comparable to brain wave activity. Yet you and everyone else clearly   
saw Mistress 9 by the road and only Sailor Pallas recognized it as a   
psychic manifestation."  
  
"I didn't do it on purpose," Hotaru whimpered. "I didn't even   
know I was doing it. You have to believe me."  
  
"I do, Hotaru. The sub-conscious can sometimes work   
independently of conscious thought. The question is why? Did   
something happen to make you afraid that Mistress 9 was coming back?"  
  
Hotaru shifted uncomfortably.  
  
"Hotaru, I can't help you if I don't know what's happening,"   
Ami said. "I won't judge you, I promise. There's nothing you can   
say that will make me hate you."  
  
"I don't know what's happening," Hotaru said, wringing her   
hands. "Sometimes I'll feel something in my mind - - like   
something's stabbing out from it - - and then bad things happen."  
  
"What bad things?"  
  
"Like what happened to Sailor Vesta," Hotaru continued.  
  
"A force from your brain jabbed out at Sailor Vesta during the   
confrontation?"  
  
"Yes. I didn't mean to do it."  
  
"What emotions were you feeling when it happened?"  
  
"Well - - she wanted me to go back and I didn't want to. I was   
afraid I'd be a threat to Usa, and everyone."  
  
"Has something like this happened before?"  
  
"This morning - - my bathroom mirror broke - - for no reason!   
Then there was the computer station in my classroom. I'm pretty sure   
I shorted it out. And two days ago, Cere-Cere's hand began to hurt   
right after I felt one of those pushes in my brain."  
  
Ami nodded. "Were you scared then?"  
  
"No. She was making fun of me. I was kind of angry for a   
moment. But I didn't want to hurt her."  
  
"How about when the computer station shorted out?"  
  
"I guess I was frustrated mostly. Those things make me feel so   
stupid sometimes."  
  
"So you were frustrated about your lack of progress in school?   
Were you angry with the computer or with yourself?"  
  
"Maybe a little of both."  
  
"And when the mirror broke?"  
  
"Well - - I was frustrated again," and Hotaru hesitated,   
reluctant to go on. Ami silently prodded her. "I was jealous - -   
about how glamorous Usa is and how I'm not."  
  
"It's nothing to be ashamed of. Usa's a very pretty girl. But   
her beauty doesn't devalue you. People don't judge you in comparison   
to her. You know that, don't you?" Hotaru nodded unconvincingly and   
Ami suffered a pang of memory. "Has this push you describe ever   
happened before two days ago?"  
  
Hotaru looked at her hands. She resembled a trapped animal.  
  
"Back in the twentieth century," she mumbled. "What I did to   
Vesta, I did to a girl at school. And later, when Sakiko threatened   
Sailor Moon - - only she knocked it back and it hit me. That's what   
Usa had to save me from. Maybe she shouldn't have."  
  
"We all would have been a lot poorer if she hadn't, Hotaru.   
Was the girl in school threatening you?" Ami asked.  
  
Hotaru seemed not to hear. "It was out before I knew it - -   
before I could stop it. It always worked that way. That's why I   
thought Mistress 9 was back. Before - - the first time - - my mind   
would hurt people, without me even realizing it. I thought it was   
happening all over again!" Hotaru wiped her eyes with her hands.  
  
Ami nodded silently. "Hotaru, I can't explain what happened in   
your first - - well, incarnation, because I don't have any test   
information. But this time it sounds to me like you're developing a   
form of extra-sensory ability known as telekinesis. It allows you to   
manipulate physical objects, spaces or environments with your mind.   
That fits with both the previous exam I took of you and what I'm   
seeing now on these sensory read-outs. The first time you developed   
powers could very well have been some form of ESP as well. These   
abilities often manifest at puberty. You were right around puberty   
the first time this happened, weren't you? Just a year or so younger   
than you are now?"  
  
Hotaru nodded.  
  
"And Mistress 9 may have used these abilities to her own   
advantage. It may even have been her using your abilities to hurt   
people. And now you see the signs of your abilities manifesting   
again and you're afraid the cycle will start all over again, due to   
your inability to control these abilities. This is understandable   
given the traumatic feelings you seem to have over what happened. No   
doubt your sub-conscious reacted to this traumatic fear of   
repossession and used your power to manufacture the image of Mistress   
9. I imagine it's what you saw beside your bed that night."  
  
"But why?" Hotaru asked.  
  
"It's hard to say without deeper analysis. Perhaps   
sub-conscious feelings of guilt led you to try to punish yourself   
when you felt you were reverting to the cycle again. Perhaps you   
were trying to force yourself to act on the problem rather than   
suppress it. This has been going on for some time now by your   
account."  
  
"I-I didn't want anyone to know," Hotaru admitted. "Before, I   
was always shunned when something like that happened. I didn't want   
to drive people away - - drive Usa away. It was so lonely the first   
time."  
  
Ami smiled sympathetically. "Well, you have to realize that   
people in the twentieth century didn't understand ESP, and they were   
very fearful of ESPers because of that ignorance." She walked over   
and disconnected the sensor pads from Hotaru. "And of course you   
being from that era as well, you would think nothing has changed.   
But this is the thirtieth century, Hotaru, and enough research has   
been done on ESP to fill a room full of memory crystals."  
  
Ami gently guided Hotaru out of the room. Instantly, Sailor   
Moon and the others jumped up.  
  
"Hotaru, are you OK?" Sailor Moon asked desperately.  
  
"Have you been waiting here the entire time?" Ami asked,   
amazed.  
  
"Yes, Ami-san. Mama thought it would be a good idea, in case   
Hotaru needed us. She's going to be all right, isn't she?"  
  
"I certainly think so," Ami smiled. "Thank you for waiting   
though. I don't think it will be necessary any longer. Why don't   
you girls go on? I'm sure you all have plans of your own."  
  
"Can't I stay here?" Vesta asked. "Otherwise I've got shrine   
maiden duty."  
  
"Sorry, I'm not facing Rei's wrath," Ami joked. "If you did   
something to earn shrine maiden duty, you're going to have to face   
the music on your own."  
  
Vesta sighed in defeat. "Come on, Vesta," Ceres moped. "Let's   
get it over with."  
  
She and Vesta nodded silent encouragement to Hotaru and exited.   
Juno did the same and followed. Sailor Moon lingered, wanting to say   
more, but was shooed out by Ami. Once they were gone, Ami escorted   
Hotaru out the door and down the hall.  
  
"So nobody'll be afraid of me in this time?" Hotaru asked.  
  
"Well, there will always be ignorant or jealous people, Hotaru.   
We haven't cured that. And it also depends on your ability to   
control your special gifts so you don't hurt anyone with them. But   
we have ways to identify and train young ESPers so they can control   
their abilities and use them for the benefit of all. Because of that   
an ESPer today is looked upon much the way an Olympic athlete was in   
the twentieth century."  
  
They approached a door and Ami pressed the entry button. The   
door slid open, revealing a classroom with about twenty teens.  
  
"This is the ESPer training class we run in the palace. These   
young people come from all over Crystal Tokyo. They each have   
growing abilities, like you, that they're learning to control." She   
turned and spoke earnestly to Hotaru. "As far as I can tell, your   
ability seems to manifest itself only when you're experiencing   
powerful emotional states, such as fear, anger or bouts of   
self-loathing. This is fairly common, as those emotions trigger   
chemical reactions in the brain that stimulate the body to   
self-defense, triggering the ability. Here, you can learn to control   
that response, even use it proactively."  
  
An older Chinese man walked up and bowed to Ami.  
  
"Good afternoon, Mizuno-Sensei," he smiled.  
  
"Good afternoon, Sun-Sensei," Ami bowed in return. "I have a   
new student for you. Sensei, this is Tomoe Hotaru. She's in the   
opening stages of telekinesis. Hotaru, this is Sun Zhong-Ju. He   
teaches this class and is himself an ESPer."  
  
"You are?" Hotaru marveled.  
  
"Yes," Sun nodded calmly. "I am a pyrokinetic - - I can start   
fires with my mind. A lot more efficient than rubbing sticks   
together." Hotaru tried to smother a smile. "I mastered my ability   
years ago and now I teach others to master their abilities." He put   
his hand on her shoulder. "You feel like an outcast now. You feel   
different - - less than human - - unworthy of society. Do not fear,   
Tomoe-chan. You, too, will learn what you need to know to be normal   
among the normals and extra-ordinary when necessary."  
  
"T-Thank you, Sensei," Hotaru smiled timidly.  
  
"And I think you know one of our other students," Ami said,   
directing Hotaru's line of sight to a corner of the room. There   
Hotaru spotted Palla-Palla and the girl waved happily. "You see,   
you're not alone, Hotaru. Roughly twenty-five percent of the   
population are full blown ESPers. It's not a sin to be one. So if   
you ever need advice, don't ever feel there's no one to confide in.   
Talk to me, or Sun-Sensei - - or Rei, for that matter. Not only is   
she a very good priest, but she's an ESPer as well and she went   
through a lot of what you're going through when she was your age.   
You're never alone, Hotaru. Never feel that you are."  
  
"I'll remember, Ami," Hotaru nodded. "Can I go now? I'm sure   
Usa's very worried about me."  
  
"Yes," Ami smiled. "But you be here at nine tomorrow to set up   
your schedule with the sensei."  
  
"I will!" Hotaru nodded.  
  
"Make it ten," Sun said. "Just because you get up at the crack   
of dawn, Ami, doesn't mean everyone does." Ami flushed with   
embarrassment and the sensei and his new pupil shared a laugh.  
  
As she walked down the hall, Hotaru felt a tremendous burden   
had been lifted from her. The specter of Mistress 9 reclaiming her   
had ruled her life for weeks and to learn it wasn't true was an   
immense relief to her. To learn that she could actually get help for   
her condition, that she didn't have to face it alone - - because of   
that she sensed something was growing in her. It wasn't Mistress 9,   
but for a moment she wondered what it was.  
  
Then she knew. It was hope. She couldn't wait to tell Usa.  
  
Turning the corner, headed for her quarters, Hotaru stopped   
suddenly for a surprising sight. The edges of her mouth curled.   
Quietly she walked over to the figure sitting next to her door.  
  
"You could have waited inside," Hotaru said gently. Usa jumped   
with a start, then sprang to her feet. "I wouldn't have minded."  
  
"Are you OK?" Usa asked fervently.  
  
"I'm fine now. I'm sorry for putting you and everyone else   
through all of that."  
  
"Don't worry about it! So what happened to Mistress 9?"  
  
"Let's get something to eat, OK?" Hotaru requested. "I'll tell   
you everything, but I haven't eaten since morning."  
  
Fifteen minutes later Usa and Hotaru sat in the nearly empty   
dining hall munching on pizza. Neither girl had eaten much since   
morning, as it turned out, and the double cheese deep dish was just   
the right remedy. As they ate, Hotaru recounted everything from her   
session with Ami, right up to her visit to the classroom for ESPers.   
Usa hung on every word, a response Hotaru felt touching and   
gratifying.  
  
"Wow," marveled Usa. "I knew Ami-san would figure it out. But   
you should have said something, to me if nobody else."  
  
"I know," Hotaru said shyly. "I'm sorry. I was just scared   
I'd hurt somebody - - especially you. And I didn't think you'd   
understand. You don't know what it was like - - when Mistress 9 had   
me."  
  
"Actually I do," Usa said gravely. Hotaru looked at her. "Go   
into your computer's history files and look up the name 'Black Lady'.   
It'll curl your toes! I know just what it's like to be possessed,   
corrupted and used as a weapon against everyone you love. Heck, Black   
Lady could have probably kicked Mistress 9's butt."  
  
"I never knew," Hotaru said.  
  
"And I know what being afraid is like, too. Every so often   
I'll catch a shadow out of the corner of my eye or hear a sound, or   
dream about what happened - - and I'll be afraid for a moment that   
Wise Man's come back for me, even though I know he's dead." Usa   
paused for a moment. "But it usually doesn't last long, because I   
know he's dead - - and even if he isn't, I'm not going back. And I'm   
not going to be afraid. I won't give him the satisfaction. And   
you've got to be like that, too. Mistress 9 is gone, Hotaru. She's   
not coming back. You beat her."  
  
"We beat her," Hotaru said, grasping Usa's hand. "I'll try,   
Usa. I promise. And I'll try not to be such a 'fraidy-cat in the   
future. Forgive me?"  
  
"I forgive you," Usa grinned. "It's not like I've never done   
anything stupid. Just don't tell my parents I said that, huh?"  
  
"I swear I won't," Hotaru giggled. "So, Usa, how about after   
we finish this pizza we study together tonight? I'm - - kind of sick   
of being by myself, you know?"  
  
"Can we make it tomorrow night?" pleaded Usa. "I've kind of   
got plans tonight."  
  
"Oh," Hotaru said, masking her disappointment as best she   
could. "Sure. That'll be fine."  
  
"Well don't be so disappointed," Usa said. "I was hoping you'd   
come with me."  
  
"Me?"  
  
"Please, Hotaru? After everything that's happened, you need   
some fun! And I guarantee this will be fun! I swear it! Please?"  
  
"Well," Hotaru hesitated, "where are we going?"  
* * * *  
Hotaru sat at a table in the darkened club, near and to the   
right of the stage. She sipped on a root beer, trying to control her   
anticipation. Nervously she glanced behind her. Minako and Jun-Jun   
were at the table behind her, eyeing the stage with as much   
anticipation as she felt. Hotaru felt a hand on her shoulder and   
turned.  
  
"Hi, Hotaru," whispered Rei. "Mind if I sit with you?"  
  
"No! Please!" nodded Hotaru. Rei sat down.  
  
"First time here?"  
  
"Yes. It's a very nice place. And it's nice of them to   
provide stage time for all of these beginning entertainers."  
  
"Yeah, well you're in for a real treat now."  
  
"That's what I keep hearing. It's too bad the king and queen   
aren't here."  
  
"They're here," Rei smiled. "They're back in the back.   
Endymion was worried that Usa might get embarrassed if she saw them   
up front."  
  
Hotaru was about to say more, but the Master of Ceremonies came   
out on stage.  
  
"Ladies and Gentlemen," he said smoothly, the directional audio   
receptor above the stage easily picking up his every word, "our next   
participant is quickly becoming a favorite here at 'The Gathering'.   
Pretty soon we're going to have to give her a permanent spot just to   
give the other participants a chance. So please give a warm welcome   
to - - 'Simply Usa'!"  
  
The M.C. retreated as Usa took the stage. She strode   
confidently, her twin ribbons of pink hair trailing her, ceremonial   
microphone in hand. She wore a daring, clingy dress of vibrant red   
with a plunging neckline, short sleeves and a hem that skirted the   
edge of her bottom. Three-inch black heels adorned her feet and   
black stockings covered the distance from her shoes to her hem. Red   
gloves that were cuffed at the wrist covered her hands and trashy   
hoop bracelets jangled above the gloves. Usa confidently looked out   
at the audience like she owned them. It was difficult to remember   
that the girl was just fifteen. The transformation was remarkable   
and Hotaru sucked in air.  
  
A synthesized beat began, aided by synthesized rhythm in a   
different key that combined to sound vaguely late-twentieth century   
dance mix. The intro played while Usa insolently tapped her foot to   
the beat, a coiling tiger about to pounce. Six notes from the   
intro's end, she strode audaciously to center stage and figuratively   
pounced.  
  
"La la la  
Never give up gambaruwa (Never give up, I'll give it my best)   
Kono shoubu ni kaketeru no (This time for sure it's my turn)   
Uki-uki tokimeku no (Thump, thump, My heart is pounding with joy)   
Shishunki eiji (In the age of adolescence)  
Kakikae OK (It's okay to rewrite)  
Koi suru purofiiru (What is in your loving profile)  
  
Kiite houkago no torikkusutaa (After school today, I saw that   
trickster)  
Hitome bore na no yo (It was love at first sight, because he looks   
like my old flame)  
Mae no kare to niteru (Now my head is spinning, don't want to get   
hurt again)  
Kurukuru mawaru mata kizukku ka na (What should I do? But I've   
already decided)   
Doushiyou demo kimeteruno (I want to toy with him for a while)  
Wazato jirashitai (I can win his heart with my sailor suit)  
Se ra fuku nabikasete (I'll go as myself)  
"Rashiku" Ikimasho (Let's be like that)   
  
La la la  
Never give up gambaruwa (Never give up, I'lll give it my best)   
Kono shoubu ni kaketeru no (This time for sure it's my turn)   
Uki-uki tokimeku no (Thump, thump, My heart is pounding with joy)   
Shishunki eiji (In the age of adolescence)  
Kakikae OK (It's okay to rewrite)  
Koi suru purofiiru (What is in your loving profile)  
  
Kiite shuumatsu ni aruiteitano (Over the weekend, I was walking)  
Toshiue no hito to futa mata kaketeru (With an older man. I can't   
decide between them)  
Pin to kitano rikei kankaku (We clicked so well, and this feels   
logical)  
Doushitara kono kurushisa wo (What can I do, with this pain   
inside)  
Nukedaseru no kana (I wonder if I can abandon it)  
Se ra fuku nabikasete (I can win his heart with my sailor suit)  
Shobu kakemasho (I will bet on this game)  
  
La la la  
Nakitai toki ni wa pokeberu nara shite (When I find myself wanting   
to cry, I ring my pocket bell)  
Yonde senshi no kyuusoku (And call a break from being a soldier)  
Shishunki eiji (In the age of adolescence)  
Kakikae OK (It's okay to rewrite)  
Tatakau purofiiru (What is in your fighting profile)  
  
Hotaru had to remember to breathe. Her friend didn't just sing   
a song - - she possessed it, prowling the stage with a audacious   
presence, daring people not to like her, drawing sounds from her   
chest that seemed plumbed from the depths of her soul. It was a   
slight tune, an old twentieth century anime ditty, but Usa breathed   
meaning and power into it. She was possessive. She was hypnotic.   
She held your attention in a stranglehold, as much by the force of   
her stage presence as by the beautiful melodic alto of her voice.  
  
It was a moment before Hotaru realized the song Usa was singing   
was over. The applause of the audience ringing in her ears, Hotaru   
began clapping enthusiastically as well. Usa dropped her stage   
persona long enough to smile shyly and nod to the audience. Then she   
launched into the next song, prancing energetically around the stage.  
  
"She's good, isn't she?" Rei whispered.  
  
"She's great!" gasped Hotaru. "How long has she been doing   
this?"  
  
"A couple of months. It just comes naturally to her."  
  
Usa's set lasted three songs and one encore. Afterwards she   
scampered over to Hotaru's table. She was dripping with sweat from   
her energetic performance, but the girl seemed to glow with the   
pleasure of a job well done and the adulation that followed. Rei had   
to smile simply from the good vibes the girl was exuding.  
  
"Usa, you were great!" gushed Hotaru. "I couldn't believe it   
was you!"  
  
Usa shrugged. "Anybody could do it. Heck, I bet you could go   
up there and do just as good."  
  
"Oh, no," Hotaru shrank down self-consciously. "I could never   
do anything like that!"  
  
"Bet you could. And someday you'll be a great doctor. That's   
something I'll never be able to do."  
  
"Maybe not the way things are going," Hotaru mumbled.  
  
"Hey, you'll get it. You're smart, Hotaru. You just got to   
have faith in that. That's how I am when I get on stage. I have   
faith in my voice and my moves, and faith that I'm going to knock   
their socks off and they'll all love me. And they do, because I give   
them what they want - - a good time. You've got to have faith, too   
- - faith in yourself. Some people are good at a lot of things, but   
everybody's good at something. You just got to find that something   
and grab it and hold onto it."  
  
"She makes a lot of sense, Hotaru," Rei smiled. "Even though   
she sounds just like a ditsy little airhead I used to know once."  
  
"Oh Rei-san! As if!" gasped Usa. "Why don't you like totally   
make me want to puke!"  
  
Before anyone could respond, the clack of high heels on the   
floor warned them of an approaching elemental force. Usa had just   
enough time to roll her eyes before she was scooped up and crushed to   
her mother's breast.  
  
"Oh, honey!" Serenity sobbed happily. "You were wonderful!   
I'm so proud of you!" Off to one side, Endymion looked on, unable to   
conceal his fatherly pride as well.  
  
"Mot-her," Usa murmured. "You are so totally embarrassing me."   
However, Hotaru noted that, despite her protests to the contrary, Usa   
couldn't keep the grateful smile from spreading over her pretty face.  
  
"Hotaru," Rei leaned in and said softly, "my grandfather was a   
very, very wise man. One of the things he used to say was 'sometimes   
a person's greatest enemy is their own fears'. You've got everything   
you're ever going to need to succeed right there inside of you. The   
only thing stopping you is you." And she winked at Hotaru, then   
leaned back to watch Usa try to squirm out of her mother's death   
grip.  
  
Hotaru took a sip of her root beer. A feeling was blooming in   
her again, a sensation that made the corners of her own tiny mouth   
pull up. It was a feeling she hadn't had in a while, a feeling she   
was afraid she'd lost forever.  
  
After weeks of uncertainty and discomfort, weeks of groping in   
the darkness, at last she felt like she was safe.  
  
THE END  
  
Neo-Sailor Moon and her senshi will return in "Blood Of The Immortal". 


End file.
